"Fraud contest" - NBA faces backlash from fans for re-inviting Mac McClung for Slam Dunk Contest 2024
Mac McClung, the winner of the Slam Dunk Contest last NBA season, has been chosen by the league to participate in the 2024 edition of the contest. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the 2022-23 dunk champion would be among the participants to defend his title.
Last season, he gave NBA fans some memorable moments on his way to winning the title. His performance has been counted among the greatest in the league's history.
However, it seems like NBA fans are not big fans of McClung being included in the competition. A furious fan wrote, “We do not care about this fraud contest.” Another fan wrote, “NBA calling mac to carry the dunk contest again.”
Here are some reactions from the fans on “X”.
McClung is just 24 and played his 2023-24 with the Osceola Magic, a G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic. He averaged 25.4 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Mac McClung's G League coach thinks he deserves a place in the NBA
Last season, when Mac McClung won the Slam Dunk competition, he collected high praise from NBA greats like LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and Magic Johnson. While LeBron said that McClung had established himself among the greatest slam-dunk competitors of all time, Johnson said that McClung had saved last season's competition.
Despite winning the competition last season and getting accolades for his dunking skills, McClung is still unable to find a place for himself in the NBA. He has only played four NBA games in total and just two since winning the dunk competition.
McClung’s G League coach thinks that the player is a fully dedicated player and deserves a place in the league. However, according to the coach, many players who are not as talented as McClung are finding their spot because of agents and social media.
"This game is becoming more and more of a business, more influence with agents and more influence in social media," McClung's G League coach Coby Karl, told GQ's Howard Beck. "You can kind of see the guys that make that choice, and one thing that's unique about Mac is, he is 100 percent devoted to becoming an NBA player, figuring out ways to do that. I think he's mastering the skill of utilizing these other things to help him get there.”
McClung played under Coby Karl with the Delaware Blue Coats. However, he transferred to Osceola Magic, the G League team affiliated with Orlando Magic. Perhaps this season's dunk contest would give McClung another chance to place himself in another bid to find himself a team.