Dreaming of playing in the NBA is something that many basketball players aspire to, but only 60 new players are drafted each year. For those with talent who can’t maximize it, playing in other leagues can be their career goal. One such player is Mac McClung, whose path to the NBA was far from straightforward.
However, despite the hurdles, McClung managed to get a unique opportunity that has given him a real shot at the big time.
McClung’s opportunity was to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, even though he was in the G-League. Many people thought that he would fail, and even NBA superstars like Kevin Durant questioned why he was there. However, McClung proved everyone wrong by wowing the crowd at All-Star Weekend.
Although McClung is currently under a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, there’s no guarantee that he’ll play much in the NBA. However, his Dunk Contest heroics will undoubtedly catch the eye of other teams, and an opportunity to play will come his way in the future.
Playing in the EuroLeague and China is perfectly acceptable, and many top pros do so. However, McClung decided to go through the G-League to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA.
Last summer, he faced the choice of playing for Fenerbahce in Turkey or the Shanghai Sharks in China, where he could have made over a million dollars. Instead, he chose to sign an Exhibit-10 deal for less than six figures in the G-League. But the G-League provided an easier path to the NBA, and it seems like his calculated risk paid off.
Making it to the NBA requires taking risks, and McClung chose the less safe-option in the long run. However, he is only 24, and his calculated risk seems to be paying off. Thanks to the Dunk Contest, everyone now knows his name, and this opportunity would never have been available to him if he was playing in Europe or China. McClung has proven that he has what it takes to compete at the highest level, and he is now in a much better position to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA.
Despite the challenges that Mac faced on his path to the NBA, he never gave up on his dream. McClung’s participation in the Slam Dunk Contest has brought him to the attention of many NBA teams, and he is now in a great position to make his dream a reality.
