When the NBA Slam Dunk Contest takes place as part of NBA All-Star Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., it will be missing one of its former champions.
Why is this three-time Slam Dunk Contest winner not taking part in the festivities? He has his own reasoning for why it’s not happening.
Former NBA Slam Dunk Champion Speaks Out About Missing Competition
Chicago Bulls guard Mac McClung has won the dunk contest championship three times in his NBA career. It’s always exciting when former champions return to compete against new challengers. This season, however, McClung has offered his own explanation for skipping the event.
“I think there was just back and forth of us being like this, and then they were calling me, being like, ‘People didn’t want to do it if I was doing it’, and I thought it’s best if I just sit out this year and let it be, no matter what,” McClung told HoopsHype in an interview.
Mac McClung says he chose not to enter the dunk contest because several NBA players didn’t want to compete if he was in it 😳
“I think there was just back and forth of us being like this, and then they were calling me, being like ‘People didn’t want to do it if I was doing it’,… pic.twitter.com/ZFNsGFtYXA
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 12, 2026
McClung, however, does not plan to leave NBA fans without a glimpse of his dunk preparations. He added that, in partnership with sports footwear company VKTRY, a video of the dunks he had prepared will be shared across the company’s social media platforms. McClung will also post the dunk video on his own social media accounts.
He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2023, 2024, and 2025. In addition to the Bulls, McClung has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers. This season, McClung is averaging 5.8 points per game and 1.3 rebounds per game while shooting 36.0% from the floor.
With McClung out this year, who will compete in the contest on NBA All-Star Saturday? Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs, Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat and Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic.
A new NBA dunk champion will be crowned as the contest wraps up a busy NBA All-Star Saturday schedule. The NBA All-Star Game will take place Sunday, concluding with the All-Star Championship at 7:10 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
