Doc Rivers, Sixers React to Mac McClung’s Dunk Contest Win

Doc Rivers, Georges Niang, and Shake Milton offered their thoughts on Mac McClung's Slam Dunk Competition victory.

The Philadelphia 76ers finally have a Slam Dunk Champion. After having seven participants in the contest over the years, even on multiple occasions, the Sixers didn’t have a Slam Dunk winner in team history leading up to the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

Mac McClung broke the drought on Saturday night. After having a nearly-perfect first round, McClung joined New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III in the final round. By having a perfect round, McClung took home the hardware and became the first Slam Dunk Champion in Sixers’ history.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers admitted he didn’t tune in to watch the All-Star Weekend festivities and found out that his newest two-way player took home the trophy when he was out to dinner.

“I didn’t see the All-Star game,” said Rivers. “I honestly didn’t watch it. Not because I didn’t want to, I was just at dinner and didn’t watch it. I was out West. Then Saturday, I was at dinner again, and I got a hundred texts about the dunk contest, ‘Your guy, your guy.’ I’m looking like, ‘What guy?’ So, that was cool, though. That was really nice.”

Since Georges Niang didn’t get his wish to participate in the NBA’s Three-Point Competition, he was tuned into the competition from home to check out his friend from the Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton, to participate. Shortly after, Niang had the opportunity to see his new teammate throw down some of the internet’s favorite dunks.

“Electric,” Niang said to describe McClung’s performance. “That was awesome. Usually, I don’t pay attention to that. I’m close with Tyrese Haliburton, and he was in the three-point contest. Obviously, one of my teammates was in the dunk contest. It was electric. It was a lot of fun to be at home on my couch, relaxed and watching.”

“That was crazy,” Shake Milton added. “For him to come in and win it and with the type of dunks he was doing, too, is just crazy, man. I wish I could get out there and do those type of things too. That’s big time. That's huge.”

With the dunk contest losing its juice lately, many have said that McClung saved the event. Niang agreed with that notion on Wednesday.

“Absolutely,” said Niang. “I don't care how humble he's going to be, I’ll be cheering for him. He definitely did. And then they were showing like clips on Twitter of like stuff that he has that he didn't even pull off in the dunk contest. I was like, he should be mandatory. It should be mandatory that he's in it every year.”

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.