Mac McClung is the savior of a failing NBA All-Star Weekend... but now he's aiming for the 'big time'

Four days after winning his third straight NBA Slam Dunk contest in San Francisco, Mac McClung parked his Ford Bronco outside Raising Cane's in Orlando.

Despite spending most of his young career in the G League ranks, the high-flying Gate City, Virginia native has made a name for himself and become a consistent spark in the otherwise subpar All-Star Weekend festivities since 2023.

Standing six feet two inches, McClung is relatively undersized for NBA standards. Still, the NBA hopeful's career is—literally and metaphorically—about taking leaps of faith when needed while staying firmly grounded.

After making history in the competition, McClung's heroic welcome came in a celebratory shift at the fast food chain, allowing fans to interact with the 26-year-old star.

With his aloof and mellow demeanor in full display, non-NBA fans would have thought the same person hurdled a sedan in front of thousands to score a perfect 50 on Saturday night.

'The biggest thing about that dunk is learning how to do it,' McClung told DailyMail.com when asked about his preparation. 'It's super hard just with the angle.'

'It took a lot of preparation [and] a lot of video,' he added. 'Just how I should put my legs and how I should clear the car. So it was a lot of fun and very stressful at the same time.'

McClung had previously noted how his preparation began months before the contest. Come All-Star Saturday, all went well besides a minor stumble upon his landing.

Right away, fans drew comparisons to LA Clippers legend Blake Griffin, who jumped over a car's hood to win the dunk contest in 2011.

'It's an honor. I think Blake is one of the best in-game and dunk-contest dunkers in the world,' McClung said of the comparisons. 'I took a lot of inspiration from him, so that's pretty cool.'

Considering how much he cleared and the seven-inch height advantage favoring Griffin, McClung's dunk was objectively more impressive. However, Griffin's stunt set the precedent at a time when fans and players cared more about the All-Star Weekend.

According to SportMediaWatch, the 2011 All-Star weekend averaged 9.09 million viewers, the last time the half-season festivities sniffed seven-digit viewership. Between 2012 and 2017, the three-day event averaged 7.52m viewers, prompting the league to make drastic changes the following year.

After changing the main event All-Star game from the East vs. West format to having two captains pick teams, the NBA suffered a decline in viewership and interest, averaging 6.82m views between 2018-2022.

Having dug a hole for themselves, the NBA got a worrisome 4.6m average in 2023, which forced the East vs. West format back in 2024 to salvage 5.4m pairs of eyes.

However, the league decided to switch to a tournament format this year, which resulted in the second-least-viewed All-Star game of all time, at 4.7m—a 13% increase from last year.

McClung's leaping ability and historic feat appeared to be the unanimous high of the entire weekend. Unfortunately, the lack of star power in the competition did not drive television ratings despite the social media buzz. All-Star Saturday was the least-watched iteration, averaging 3.4m viewers.

McClung went up against Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls, Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, and Andre Jackson Jr. of the Milwaukee Bucks - with Castle being the only full-time NBA player on the field.

Nonetheless, the frame-worthy image of McClung with his soles above the car, deltoids contracting upon snatching the ball, eyes on the rim, hair flying back, as he soared for the $132.1k slam gave some fans a silver lining.

Buzelis, Castle, and Jackson scored 47.2, 40, and 43.8, respectively. They then scored 47.4, 45, and 47.8 in the second round before McClung put the nail in the coffin by leaping over the vehicle.

'I do it because I love it,' McClung shared. 'I love the contest and the fact that people like me is a bonus. It's not the reason I did it but I'm very appreciative that people support me and care what I do.'

While his name has become synonymous with the showcase, McClung insists on showcasing his overall game. Acknowledging how dunking is 'a separate thing' from actual basketball,' his on-court journey is a story yet to make a breakthrough.

After playing for the Georgetown Hoyas, McClung entered the 2020 NBA Draft but remained on the pool, unselected. Maintaining his eligibility, he transferred to Texas Tech for a season before going unselected again in 2021.

From there, McClung became a staple for several G League affiliates where he began racking up accolades. After winning the 2023 G League title with the Delaware Blue Coats, he ended up in Orlando where he was crowned G League MVP with the Osceola Magic.

McClung's swinger status came in handy in 2023 when he represented the Philadelphia 76ers in his first Dunk Contest victory. The cycle continued into his three-peat.

Unfortunately, despite proving himself on developmental grounds, McClung struggles to break through the NBA ranks. So far in his career, he's made five NBA appearances across the Lakers, Bulls, 76ers, and Magic. His scoring high came in a 20-point performance for the Sixer in the 2022-23 season.

When addressing his career aspirations, McClung's optimism came with hints of maturity, humility, and awareness. Nonetheless, he remained honest about using his dunk success as the north star toward his aspirations.

'The career I want is to be a big-time NBA player,' McClung said, lightly shrugging his shoulder. 'Find a way to be part of a championship team. Right now, I'm with the Magic [and] just gotta focus on when my time comes but enjoying where my feet are.'

'I'm right where I'm supposed to be and whatever God plans, that will be the right place,' he added.

Regardless of his status in the league, McClung has become a local favorite in Central Florida as fans gathered on a Wednesday morning to meet their adopted hometown hero.

After his celebrity-employee hybrid shift, which combined media obligations with duties on the drive-thru and the counter, to connect with fans, McClung addressed his supporters after the event.

'It means a lot to me,' he addressed the crowd, maintaining his humble tone. 'Being able to come here almost feels normal. I know it's not [but] being able to do this three times in a row and celebrating... Thank you so much for being here.'

Shades of white, black, and blue-striped jerseys flooded the store's entrance, flocking around McClung. Sharpies and posters were handed and cellphone cameras were locked and loaded as fans secured souvenirs with the same fingerprints on the past three Slam Dunk trophies.

After interaction with the Magic fanbase, the NBA hopeful drove off as he returned to the grind of being a two-way star, hoping to break through the developmental ranks.

Osceola is vying for a playoff spot, seeded just below the postseason cutoff with half of the season to go. Meanwhile, their NBA counterparts are experiencing one of their better seasons in recent years, en route to their fourth playoff appearance in the past decade.

McClung continues to prove that he is more than a jaw-dropping stuntman with the ball, leading Osceola with 25 points in a loss to the Long Island Nets in his first game back from the Bay Area.

As he patiently waits for his door to open, he maintains that love is the root of all his actions in the face of glory and adversity.

'That one,' McClung said, pointing at his 'From Love' arm tattoo which pops out in a sea of ink on his right sleeve. 'It's one of my mottos.'

'Everything I do is out of love,' he added. 'Everything I do is out of love. I just try to make sure my actions are in love instead of fear, ego, or anything else.'