2024 AT&T Slam Dunk: Mac McClung bests Jaylen Brown, repeats as champion
Mac McClung is the sixth player to secure two victories in the Slam Dunk contest, and the first one to achieve this feat in back-to-back seasons since Zach LaVine in 2015-16.
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So, what can we infer from the remarkable throw-down that dominated the 2024 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest?
Let’s call it the Mac-A-Shaq.
At the All-Star Weekend on Saturday, Mac McClung (6-2), a relatively smaller player, made a perfect combination and contrast with the retired Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal (7-1), a notably bigger player. McClung impressively rose above O’Neal with a reverse to secure back-to-back victories in the contest.
McClung delivered a strong defense once again in the G-League, previously with the Delaware Blue Coats and now with the Osceola Magic. He scored 50 points from all judges on his winning dunk.
Jaylen Brown, the runner-up, paid tribute with his first of two dunks in the final round — he wore the high school jersey of Terrance Clarke, a Boston-born 19-year-old who passed away in a car accident three months prior to the 2021 draft. Clarke was posthumously selected in the first round of the draft by the league.
Jaime Jaquez from the Heat and Jacob Toppin from the Westchester Knicks G-League were eliminated in the first round.
McClung is the first player to repeat as champion since Zach LaVine did it in the 2015-16 season. When questioned about attempting a third consecutive win, he didn’t give a definitive answer, stating, “I would never say never … It’s an honor to be here.”
— Shaun Powell
Mac McClung offers a detailed breakdown of each dunk and shares his thoughts throughout the process, following his victory in a second consecutive AT&T Slam Dunk contest.
> 2024 Participants:
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Heat)
Mac McClung (G League, Osceola Magic) *
Jacob Toppin (Knicks)
* defending champ
- Format & Rules
- Judges
- All-Time Slam Dunk Contest Winners
