Mac McClung makes history in the NBA All-Stars Slam Dunk Contest

Mac McClung makes history in the NBA All-Stars Slam Dunk Contest

It was another action-packed Saturday night during the N.B.A All-Star Weekend where history was made, a master class in slam dunks and a controversial disqualification in San Francisco was carried out.

Mac McClung sets new standards

Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung made All-Star history by becoming the first player to win the Slam Dunk Contest three years in a row. In addition to securing the win, McClung posted a perfect score, earning a full 50 points in every round on a night marked by flawless dunking.

The 26-year-old set the tone for the event with his first dunk - and in spectacular fashion. A car drove onto the court and backed toward the basket, foreshadowing what was to follow. McClung jumped over a volunteer and the car, took the ball out of the volunteer's hands and still completed an impressive reverse dunk.

Impressive performance and creativity

The difficulty level of McClung's subsequent attempts did not decrease, and he impressed the judges and fans with his third attempt, where he dunked two balls at the same time. “I feel like an impostor,” McClung told CNN Sport after his win. "This wouldn't have been possible without the help of my friends; many of them gave me their cars so I could jump over them."

McClung explained that his love of dunking motivates him and helps him compete. “I believe that if you love something and it is your passion, you can become better at it than you normally would be.”

Stephon Castle and the weekend's controversies

While McClung's perfect score remained untouchable in all four rounds, San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle kept the pressure on with an impressive dunk display. Castle finished in second place, just 0.4 points behind McClung with a total score of 99.6 over the final two rounds. Andre Jackson Jr. of the Milwaukee Bucks finished third, while Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls took fourth place.

Although All-Star Weekend is full of thrills, there is rarely any controversy. However, that changed when Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were eliminated from the Skill Challenge competition. To achieve the fastest time in the competition, the two San Antonio Spurs players thought they had come up with a master plan. Instead of throwing the balls at the designated stations, Wembanyama and Paul threw the balls as quickly as they could to minimize their time throwing.

Although the tactic initially appeared to work, the two were eventually disqualified for failing to make valid throws. “We tried a strategy that we thought could win,” Paul said after the disqualification. The veteran guard added that the officials didn't say anything when Wembanyama asked them about the tactics earlier.

Tyler Herro wins the three-point contest

Elsewhere, the Miami Heat's Tyler Herro won the three-point contest with a score of 24 in the final round. Herro defeated Buddy Hield of the Golden State Warriors and Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals of the competition. Damian Lillard failed in his attempt to win the competition three years in a row, being eliminated after the first round with a score of 18 points.