Little-Known Player 'Saved the Dunk Contest'

Even those who follow the NBA closely probably aren't familiar with the name of Mac McClung. The 24-year-old has played in only two league games, after all. But as ESPN notes, anyone who watched the NBA slam-dunk contest over the weekend knows McClung now. He stole the show with a stellar performance—four perfect and imaginative dunks in four attempts—to win the contest. You can watch highlights here and here. None other than Shaquille O'Neal voiced a familiar sentiment afterward: "He saved the dunk contest."

• Who is McClung? CBS Sports has a profile. He had a less-than-stellar college career with Georgetown and Texas Tech and didn't get drafted. He's been toiling in lesser leagues, but most recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Earlier this week, Philly signed him to what's known as a two-way NBA contract (which allowed him to compete in the contest), and fans may see him suiting up for some games this season. Separately, McClung has become an internet sensation for his dunks.
• It's weird: As for the slam-dunk contest itself, you won't see the likes of LeBron James competing. It has become the "weird little bleating heart" of the NBA's All-Star Weekend, writes Katie Heindl in the New York Times Magazine. The event, "simultaneously celebrated and maligned for its theatrics," has polarized NBA fans, and Heindl makes the case that it should remain as weird as it is.

(More NBA stories.)