2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Mac McClung Makes History With First Three-Peat

NBA fans were not impressed after the first dunks and many were fearful that this would be another disaster for the NBA. Fortunately, the players found their groove and were able to give us a much better performance in round two.

Round 2

Matas Buzelis: 47.4
Andre Jackson Jr.: 45
Stephon Castle: 47.8
Mac McClung: 50

In this round, Buzelis went first and he got it started with a reverse dunk off the side of the backboard. We saw plenty of explosive dunks from Castle and Jackson Jr. but, once again, it was McClung who won the round with another 50-point score.

It was clear at this point that McClung was the dunk champion once again but Jackson Jr. put up a decent fight with his rock-the-baby dunk in the second round. Ultimately, it was Jackson Jr. and McClung who went on to the final stage of the competition, which involved two separate parts.

Round 3

Stephon Castle: 49.6
Mac McClung: 50
Stephon Castle: 50
Mac McClung: 50

Stephon Castle really picked up steam here and gave McClung a run for his money. He began with an alley-oop dunk through the legs, earning him a nearly flawless 49.6 score (his highest yet). Sadly, he failed on his first attempt and it did take some life out of the dunk.

Castle followed it up with a behind-the-back lefty slam, which finally got him the coveted 50-point score. While it wasn't enough to beat McClung, it was a worthy showing that gave the fans a proper show.

Most fans can agree that McClung's best dunk was his first one with the KIA but he still had a solid showing in the final round. His second-to-final slam included two basketballs and earned quite a reaction from the judges.

Finally, to cap off another spectacular performance, McClung went up over Evan Mobley and tapped the ball on the rim as he was completing the dunk. It was quick and smooth, but it was enough for him to seal the victory over Stephon Castle.

McClung (averaging 0.0 points and 1.0 rebounds per game this season) is now a three-time slam dunk contest winner, tying Nate Robinson for the most in NBA history. He is the first player to win three straight dunk trophies, making this a historic achievement.

With his creativity, passion, and dedication to the craft, McClung has done what no other player has been willing to do: save All-Star weekend.

On social media, McClung is getting dubbed as the greatest dunker in NBA history, even over legends like Vince Carter, Michael Jordan, and Blake Griffin.

"I’ve seen enough," said one fan on X. "Mac McClung is the greatest dunker of all time."

The contest this year had its ups and downs but overall it was a success thanks to McClung and Castle, who ensured that there were plenty of high-quality dunks for the fans to enjoy.

"Mac McClung saving the DUNK CONTEST," wrote one fan after All-Star Saturday.

The most memorable moment for most fans is probably the KIA, which was a nod to Blake Griffin's legendary dunk back in 2009. We hadn't seen that in ages, and yet Mac brought it back and made it look easy. 

The dunk contest has been on the decline in recent years but what we saw tonight is proof that it's not dead yet. In fact, with McClung making NBA All-Star history, it seems a new age of the competition has just begun and it's giving us some amazing moments.