CNN - Top stories: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/19/sport/mac-mcclung-nba-slam-dunk-spt-intl/index.html
Sport

Mac McClung was a star at the All-Star Saturday night

admin

Mac McClung ‘was the first big name in the NBA’: From YouTube to NBA Slam Dunk contests, to NBA All-Star and back again

Mac McClung was on the Philadelphia 76ers G League team, Delaware Blue Coats, but he wasn’t on an NBA roster.

On Saturday night, he became the center of the basketball world as he was crowned NBA Slam Dunk champion in Salt Lake City, scoring a perfect 50 for three of his four dunks, and capping a week in which he signed a two-way contract with the Sixers.

The crowd was amazing, said McClung after the event. “It was a blessing. It’s really cool man. I will be able to brag about it to my kids one day. But yeah, the goal is to play in the NBA. I’m gonna keep working every day. I’m very hungry and I’m resilient so I’m gonna keep working.”

For his first dunk, McClung jumped over a friend sitting on another friend’s shoulders, picked the ball out his hands, tapped the backboard and finished with a reverse slam for an instant, perfect 50 from the judges.

The 6 feet 2in guard became the shortest player in NBA history since 1986 to rack up three perfect scores, as his dunks drew the admiration of NBA legends.

Meanwhile, Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard won the three-point contest while donning his alma mater’s jersey – Weber State University. The Utah Jazz trio of Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, and Collin Sexton won the skills challenge.

The New Orleans small forward had some really impressive moves up his sleeve for the NBA All-Star game, but Mac McClung was too tough an act to follow.

Who is he? A crowd of basketball celebrities quickly became his hype crew on the sidelines, filming him with sponsored phones and almost dropping their own kids a few times. The dunk contest showed the world what they have known for a long time.

So, what now? One night took the 24-year-old from a YouTube star to a household name. The “Who is Mac McClure?” write-ups will continue for a few days as the internet recovers from the spectacle.

In,
Previous post The era of fast, cheap genotyping is here
Next post David O’Connell was arrested in the killing of a Catholic bishop

More Stories

Jake Paul was born while Mike Tyson was a champ

admin

YouTuber Jake Paul defeated ex-heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in an eight-round bout on Friday, winning the match by a unanimous decision. Tyson had slapped Jake on his face before the weigh-in a night before the fight, following which they traded insults in several of the hype events. Jake has over 20 million subscribers on his own channel.

Millions of people are without power in Florida

admin

The roof of the Tropicana Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, has been blown off by Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Florida. “We’re going to try and get back on this field,” Tampa Bay Rays President Mark Light said. Earlier this month, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm in the state.

The US Open was won by Jannik Sinner, weeks after he was cleared of any involvement with the performance enhancing drugs

admin

The US Open on Friday witnessed the first-ever semi-final match between two American men in 19 years. The men’s singles semi-final saw world number 12 Taylor Fritz defeat world number 26 Frances Tiafoe in five sets to reach his maiden Grand Slam final. American women’s singles semi-finalists have reached the last four for the first time since 2003 US Open.

Sports gave hope to the Paralympians who had a vaccine for a disease

admin

Nigerian table tennis player Christiana Alabi and her husband Kayode Alabi, who are competing in their first Paralympics, contracted polio as children in their village. “We played with golf balls using bathroom slippers as racquets,” Christiana said. “There was no table tennis table in my village. We played with golf balls using bathroom slippers as racquets,” she added.