Mac McClung, who has played in just four NBA games during his career, has become a bigger name than most end-of-bench NBA players because of his dunking prowess. McClung, who’s just 6-foot-2 and more or less has rocket boosters in his calves, won the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest at the both the 2023 and 2024 NBA All-Star weekends, receiving a special invite to the competition as a non-NBA player for sheer popularity reasons.
Now he’s getting another invite, this time on a second training camp go-round with the Orlando Magic on a partially guaranteed deal, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
McClung also went to camp with the Magic last season but didn’t make the final cut. He was sent to the Magic’s G-League affiliate, the Osceola Magic, for which he averaged better than 25 points and six assists in being named G-League MVP.
The last time McClung took the court in an NBA game, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in April 2023, he nearly recorded a triple double with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists in 33 minutes.
The question isn’t whether McClung can score. Can he defend at his size? Can he shoot efficiently on low volume and without the freedom to create much for himself? The Magic have some depth at the point guard spot with Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black and they brought in Cory Joseph this summer.
Can McClung prove enough in camp to earn a spot as an end-of-bench third guard? He’ll get his chance, and there will be a lot of people rooting for him.
