Mac McClung polished off a Dunk Contest three-peat on Saturday night in incredible style, as the reigning G League MVP threw down four perfect dunks — including one where he jumped over a car — to beat Stephon Castle, who had a terrific contest performance of his own.
For two decades, fans and media have been clamoring for bigger names to participate in the Dunk Contest, but for the most part, there has been little in the way of All-Star participation in the main event of All-Star Saturday Night. That has provided a stage for guys like Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon, Derrick Jones Jr., and McClung to become household names before they reached that status on an NBA court. On the other hand, it’s always left fans wondering what we’ve missed out on seeing as stars have declined invites and the opportunity to enter the contest.
During the first round, after McClung sent the Chase Center into a frenzy with his car dunk, one of those current stars fans have been begging to see in the contest, Ja Morant, tweeted that McClung’s performance was making him want to get in on the action — and later followed that up by asking if LaVine and Gordon might be willing to unretire from the contest to join him.
This is far from the first time a star player has been enjoying the Dunk Contest from the sidelines or at home and done this — the most famous being LeBron James saying on-air during the 2009 Contest that he’d be doing it in 2010. James, of course, did not followthrough on that proclamation and Nate Robinson beat a field with DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace, and Shannon Brown for the crown in 2010.
It’s particularly funny that Morant, who tried to put a self-imposed dunk ban on himself this season to stay healthy, would float the idea of him entering the fray. I will be shocked if he or any of the other big names enter their names in the 2026 Dunk Contest in Los Angeles, but it’s a good way to create a little buzz a full year away from the actual event.
