Mac McClung is looking to do something Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, or even Zach LaVine has never done — won the All-Star Saturday night Dunk Contest three years in a row. McClung is going for history in an event he helped bring back energy to a couple of years ago.
Here is everything you need to know about the NBA Dunk Contest.
When is the NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
The Dunk Contest, the final event of All-Star Saturday Night, will take place on Feb. 15. This year’s event will be held at the Chase Center in San Francisco, home to the Golden State Warriors. It will be broadcast on TNT starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Who is in the Slam Dunk Contest?
There are four contestants:
• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
• Mac McClung, Orlando Magic
McClung is the two-time defending Dunk Contest champion and is currently on a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic (he played in five minutes of one Magic game back in October this season, he’s been in the G-League since). Last year, he won the Dunk Contest by jumping over Shaq for a dunk.
Stephon Castle is the star rookie the San Antonio Spurs hope can be part of the long-term backcourt with just-acquired De’Aaron Fox, playing off Victor Wembanyama. Castle also has serious hops — and expect him to involve Wemby in at least one of his dunks.
Matas Buzelis is the Chicago Bulls rookie who has seen a larger role after former Slam Dunk Contest champion Zach LaVine was traded away. In his last five games, Buzelis is averaging 15.6 points a night and shooting 50% from 3 — and he also has hops.
Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr. already had one of the best dunks of the season, a put-back with his head above the rim. He could win this thing.
Who is judging the Slam Dunk Contest?
You are!
The fans have a vote in the Dunk Contest for the first time, with their averaged score counting as a fifth judge. The Dunk Contest judges in the arena will be:
• Baron Davis
• Kevin Garnett
• Tracy McGrady
• Jason Richardson
Fans — who have to sign up and be NBA ID members — will submit their scores after each dunk through the NBA App or at nba.com, and then those will be averaged, then revealed on the floor by basketball content creator Jesser (@Jesser).
What is the format for the Slam Dunk Contest?
The format remains the same as it has been in previous years. The four entrants in the Dunk Contest will get two dunks each in the first round, to be scored by the panel of judges and the fans (on a scale of 1-10). The two dunkers with the highest combined score from those two dunks advance to the championship round. There, those two will again have two dunks each, scored by the judges and fans, and whoever has the highest score will be crowned Dunk Contest champion.
Who won the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
Mac McClung is the two-time reigning champion of the Dunk Contest, and he is going for history. Only Nate Robinson has won the Dunk Contest three times, and he did not do it consecutively. Nobody has ever done it. McClung is looking to do something neither Dr. J., Jordan, nor any of the other great dunkers in the game’s history has done.
What year was the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
The NBA made the Dunk Contest part of All-Star Weekend beginning in 1984, when Larry Nance won it — in 2018, his son, Larry Nance Jr., competed in the event and honored his dad with a dunk.
What year did Vince Carter win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
Vincanity gave us one of the most memorable Slam Dunk Contests ever in 2000 — the last time the All-Star Game was in the Bay Area.
How many dunk contests did Michael Jordan win?
Two, both while he was in his prime with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan won the first time in 1987 in Seattle, then came back the following year when the All-Star Game was in Chicago to defend his crown. Jordan is still the only player to win the Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday and be named MVP of the All-Star Game on Sunday.
