Mac McClung Reflects on Time With 76ers After Defeating Nets

76ers guard Mac McClung discusses his time with the team after taking down the Nets.

With the 2023 NBA Playoffs approaching, Mac McClung will sit back and watch the Philadelphia 76ers go to work as he remains on a two-way contract.

When McClung joined the Sixers this season, he was thriving in the NBA G League playing for the team’s affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. McClung then went into All-Star weekend, representing the Sixers while winning the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest.

After returning from the All-Star break, McClung went back to work with the Blue Coats as they put together a championship run. For the first time in Blue Coats history, the team took home the title. One day after hoisting the G League title trophy, McClung and a couple of his G League teammates joined the Sixers for their final two games of the season.

With the Sixers locked into the Eastern Conference’s third seed, the team didn’t have much to play for against the Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets. Therefore, McClung made his Sixers debut on Friday before playing in the season finale on Sunday night.

“Just a blessing, really,” McClung said to reporters, reflecting on his opportunity with the Sixers. “I feel like we were down in Wilmington for so long. It’s hard work down there, and it’s a great opportunity for us to get come up here and really just kind of like a reward for all the hard work we’ve done. Thanks to Coach for letting us play, man. I had the best time out there for us.”

In Friday’s game against Atlanta, the Sixers saw a somewhat nervous McClung check-in for nearly eight minutes. During that time, he drained one of his three shots from the field, and hit on both of his free throws to collect five points.

On Sunday, McClung played for 33 minutes against the Nets. He put up 14 more shots compared to his debut, draining 47 percent of his attempts. McClung wrapped up the game with 20 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds. 

“This year has been just a lot,” McClung continued. “It’s been amazing. It’s all been something to be really grateful for, but it’s like I haven’t stopped. I’ve just been running around here and just trusting the universe and trying to be the best me every day.”

McClung says he’ll “stay the course” as he continues working on ways to land more opportunities beyond the G League level in the NBA. It’s unclear if there will be an opportunity to carve out a role for himself in Philly or not, but he made the most of his chances between Delaware and Philadelphia this season. 

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