NBA: McClung crowned slam dunk king again, Tyler Herro wins three-point contest, Cavs dominate skills contest

Matthew “Mac” McClung made history by winning his third consecutive NBA All-Star Game contest, a feat never before achieved, while Tyler Herro triumphed in the three-point contest.

McClung, who has appeared in just one game this season with the Orlando Magic, and his spectacular dunks rescued an otherwise lackluster day of events, providing an exciting lead-up to Sunday’s All-Star Game.

The night at the Chase Center in San Francisco kicked off with one of the most puzzling moments in All-Star Game history: the unexpected disqualification of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul in the skills challenge.

Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell, the Cleveland Cavaliers duo, claimed the skills challenge title, while Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (Bucks) thwarted Damian Lillard's bid for a third consecutive three-point contest victory.

McClung won the dunk contest with four dunks, each earning a perfect score of 50 points.

In the first play, the point guard initiated a drive into the lane and set up a shot under the basket, with a teammate finishing the play with a high-reaching move.

McClung, who is 6'6" tall, jumped over the vehicle, grabbed the ball and slammed it backwards past the rim.

The action jolted the fans, who had previously watched Matas Buzelis (Bulls) miss every attempt and Andre Jackson Jr. (Bucks) complete a very quiet one in his first few appearances.

Perfect score

McClung faced rookie Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs in the final, where Castle threatened his three-peat with two impressive aerial dunks. On the second, he earned a perfect 50 by skillfully moving the ball behind his back before delivering a powerful left-handed slam.

Castle, the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Rising Stars event, put up a strong effort, but it wasn’t enough to overcome McClung’s exceptional leaping ability.

The point guard once again impressed the judges—Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady among them—with a two-ball dunk, followed by another where he soared over a person, brushed the rim with the ball, and finished with a powerful slam.

The Osceola Magic player, from the Orlando Magic's G-League affiliate, equaled Nate Robinson’s record of three titles (2006, 2009, and 2010) but became the first to win them consecutively since the event's inception in 1984.

"This doesn't happen without the help of a lot of people, people who opened gyms for me, who let me use the car. I'm very grateful," said McClung.

"This could be the end for me (...). If they really want me back, I'll think about it," said McClung, whose surprise appearance in 2023 revitalized interest in this famous contest.

“Wemby” and Paul disqualified

In the program's opener, Mobley and Mitchell secured the skills contest title for the Cavaliers, the top team of the regular season so far.

However, the event was overshadowed by the surprising disqualification of Frenchman Wembanyama and veteran Paul, the Spurs' duo, for intentionally missing most of their shots at the basket.

“Wemby” and Paul attempted to gain an edge by getting rid of the balls as quickly as possible, hoping to finish their first run faster than their opponents. However, their unconventional tactic—against the rules—drew boos from the crowd.

Wembanyama, who will make his All-Star Game debut on Sunday, told reporters afterward that the strategy was his idea.

Herro dethrones Lillard

In the three-point contest, Tyler Herro claimed his first victory, edging out Buddy Hield, the hometown representative from the Golden State Warriors, in a tightly contested final.

Cheered on by the crowd, Hield finished the final with 23 points, just one behind Herro. However, in a historic first round, Hield matched the three-point record of his teammate Stephen Curry—widely regarded as the greatest long-distance shooter in history—with 31 successful shots.

Lillard was eliminated in the first round with 18 points, falling short of matching the three-trophy record held by Larry Bird (1986-1988) and Craig Hodges (1990-1992).