My 40-year-old knees are worn out. Worn out like the lawn behind my childhood home, and for the same reason. It’s the reason I bought a rim and backboard set with the cash I saved on my 12th birthday. It’s why I had my dad lower the rim after the first week. It’s why I replaced it with a spring-loaded rim a year later. Before that, it was the reason that my Spalding Micro-Mini hoop snapped within an hour of purchasing. The reason the old lady next door complained. The reason why Shawn Kemp was (and still is) my hero. It’s the reason why, even all these years later, the skin on my palms at the base of my fingers is rough. It’s why my 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend VHS tape went fuzzy.

It’s because all I ever wanted to do was dunk.

The problem was that I did most of my growing early so, by the age of 16, my height was just about scraping 5-10 and my fingers just about scraping the rim. Hope, as usual, would be found within the hallowed pages of SLAM. It wasn’t in a frame-by-frame SLAMADAMONTH spread, either (although those were insanely dope). No. It was the ads that provided a solution to my problem with gravity. The range of Jump Higher programs on offer in our first two decades was wild, and within our magazines were scattered a medley of options. It wasn’t just me who wanted more bounce. We all did.

The ad that initially stood out to me was from the late ’90s. What’s crazy is that the program didn’t even have a name; it was just a lot of writing (we had larger attention spans back then…) and a black and white pic. The text implied that someone was giving away some top secret, Area 51 type of info. This, combined with a mysterious photo that was giving “Loch Ness Monster” style vibes had me completely locked in. The pic featured a young-looking kid jumping freakishly high (a trampoline?! definitely not…) with a defender helplessly waiting to have a basketball smashed into his unathletic face. It was significant that the kid featured was white. I was (and still am) also white and, until YouTube and Mac McClung (shout out to Rex Chapman, too) proved otherwise, our destiny was to replicate Larry Bird’s dunk package, if we were lucky. If this program could get a white kid dunking, then there was hope for us all. Surely.

I never did meet anyone who got their hands on that report—it claimed to be free—but the brand name, “Why Almost Everyone is Wrong About How They Train to Increase Their Vertical” was possibly a little long and not too catchy. Others, though, really stayed in the memory bank and, despite being pricey, saw a lot of success.

Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes were the early big hitters. For a long stretch, it would be common to find both brands battling it out in an issue, fighting for our pockets and their share of a bunny-hungry market. While basically the same product, Strength Shoes provided an entire shoe, along with Bob Knight and Bobby Hurley Sr’s approval. Jumpsoles, on the other hand, were strapped onto your existing shoe. This flexibility, as well as an athlete endorsement from the greatest short dunker (at the time) ever witnessed in Spud Webb, made sense. Although he was winning dunk contests almost 10 years before this product hit the market, we didn’t ask questions.

For a short period, we saw ads from imitation products such as Gainers and Skyflex, who apparently didn’t get off the ground (pun intended, always). Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes would hold their solid grip on the market and remain in our pages for a long time. My skeptical assumption, combined with the fact that I didn’t want to risk spending more money than I ever had in my bank account, was that they probably didn’t work. I’d heard reports of Yeah, right moments where a dude who couldn’t touch the rim wore them for five minutes and went on to throw down a windmill, all in an effort to sell units to kids at a camp. Others reported that the shoes would blow out your knees or that just working the calves would never be enough. Still, there have been countless others who claim them to be totally legit, and the fact that both of these brands exist today is perhaps proof of this.

Other equipment-based products available included ankle weights, vests, even a board with bungee straps that promoted itself with the tagline, “INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL BY ACTUALLY JUMPING!” Still, other programs boasted “No special shoes or weights necessary” and products like the Air Alert series began to push plyometrics over physical products. The fact that these brands required no actual equipment (other than books or DVDs) to be shipped, combined with the rise of the internet, meant that this section of the market was even more competitive. Names such as AIRBORNE!, JUMP ON, Mad Bounce and Vertical Leap Beyond Belief would fight for the attention of SLAM readers, all following a similar format. Some would refer to their information being “top secret…until now!” Quotes would be included from happy customers whose lives had been drastically altered by jumping higher. An ad by Leapfrog attempted to hook us in by sending customers a “dunk montage of 75 slams including a 6-1 LEAPFROGGIN’ jam over a 6-3 person.” I would’ve loved to have seen that whole thing. Oh, and they all, of course, guaranteed a specific gain of inches, a claim that was awkwardly comparable to a completely different industry that was spamming our in-boxes at the time. Fulfilling the desire to perform and/or impress is big business.

In the end, I never did invest in a “jump higher” type of program (three-pointers are cooler these days anyway, right?) but I remain fascinated by how synonymous they are with SLAM and, in turn, basketball culture. If I could go back to when I was a teen, I don’t think I’d opt for Strength Shoes or Jump Soles, not even Air Alert (which is still going btw!) for that matter. Too much effort. Instead, I’d give the Vertical Growth supplement pills a go. What could go wrong? If not then the Vertical Blast 2000 would have done the job. They worked for Todd from Phoenix, AZ, (pictured with a female companion no less) so why not Sammy from Erdington? If I wasn’t too late (this particular ad states that it’s only available to the first 125 “athletes” who respond) then a bottle of Adenotrex looked like a safe bet.

If all else failed, then there’s one product that couldn’t. Genuinely. The Slam Station springboard—”a stable but portable ‘mad ups’ producing dunking machine that gets you where you want to be…ABOVE THE RIM.” Incredible.

I barely ever dunked on a regulation rim ( a couple of times, maybe), but my dunking fantasy remains. And sometimes, after bending down to rub my aching 40-year-old knees, I still think to myself, “Why didn’t I send for that top-secret jumping info in SLAM…” 

The post These OLD SLAM ADS Promised to Help You Dunk and Improve Your Vertical—Guaranteed appeared first on SLAM.

Of course, G League players are always being watched by decision-makers at the NBA level—but never by so many, at the same time, and so blatantly. Most of the bigwigs there to evaluate sit just two or three feet off the court, laptops and notebooks open, ready to decide fates.

Daunting is perhaps the most appropriate word, considering all that’s at stake. The Winter Showcase offers G Leaguers their best chance to impress NBA higher-ups, just a few weeks before teams can begin offering 10-day contracts (January 5), which can be worth significantly more than the standard G League contract of $40,500. 

The talent level at this year’s Showcase—hosted, for the first time, in Orlando, Florida—was perhaps the highest it’s ever been. Here’s a look at some of the top performers:

2023 All-Showcase Team (selected by the G League)

Brandon Goodwin

Guard

Westchester Knicks

24.7 points, 5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.7 steals

Winning matters to scouts, so the teams that advance further in the tournament attract more attention. Goodwin, a 28-year-old guard who has bounced back and forth between the G League (71 games) and the NBA (133 games) since going undrafted in 2018, led the Knicks to the Showcase championship and claimed MVP. After scoring 33 and 28 points in Westchester’s first two games, he struggled to find his shot in the Finals, but still contributed 13 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Asked during the trophy presentation what he showed NBA personnel over the past four days, Goodwin’s teammate, Charlie Brown Jr, answered for him: “That he a dog!” 

Trevelin Queen

Guard

Osceola Magic

25.5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.5 steals, 64.5 FG%, 52.6 3P%

Nothing new here. Trevelin Queen, who’s on a two-way with the Orlando Magic, has been lighting up the G League for a while now. As a member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2021-22, he won both the regular season and Finals MVP awards. With help from teammates Mac McClung and Brandon Williams (who just earned a two-way contract from the Dallas Mavericks), Queen guided the hometown Magic to a 2-0 record. 

Jarace Walker

Guard

Fort Wayne Mad Ants

21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 steal

Assigned by the Pacers for the Showcase, rookie Jarace Walker helped the Mad Ants reach the championship game, where they ultimately fell short to the Knicks. The 20-year-old out of the University of Houston flashed the versatile skill set that made him the 8^th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, scoring from all over the floor. In Fort Wayne’s first game—a win over the Capital City Go-Go—Walker nailed six threes and finished with 31 points. 

Darius Bazley

Forward

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2 steals, 5.5 blocks, 57.9 FG%, 41.2 3P%

Just look at those numbers. Bazley, the 23^rd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, dominated on both ends at the Showcase. In a tight win over the Texas Legends, the dynamic forward posted 43 points (on 63% shooting!), 18 rebounds, 3 steals and 6 blocks. He’s been in the public eye for so long—it was the fall of 2018 when he made the groundbreaking decision to forgo college and intern for New Balance while training for the NBA—that it’s easy to forget Bazley is just 23 years old. And the Blue Coats star is clearly getting better.

Jontay Porter

Forward

Raptors 905

22.5 points, 12 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 66.7 FG%, 70 3P%

Jontay, who’s on a two-way with the Toronto Raptors, is more of a big man than his older brother (Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr) but can also stretch the floor—in two wins at the Showcase, he shot 7/10 from behind the arc. Through 16 games with the 905, the 24-year-old is averaging a double-double. 

Other Standouts

Terence Davis

Guard

Rip City Remix

31.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 61 FG%, 51.9 3P%

The former Sacramento Kings guard joined the Rip City Remix—the new affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers—right before the Showcase, where he hit 14 threes in two games. 

Ethan Thompson

Guard

Mexico City Capitanes

30 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals

Thompson has been in the G League since 2021 and improved every season. His three-point percentage has jumped from 30.5% (2021-22) to 36.4% (2022-23) to 39.2% on seven attempts per game this year.

Blake Wesley 

Guard

Austin Spurs

27 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 59.5 FG%, 83.3 3P%

On assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, Wesley—the 25^th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft—took care of business at the Showcase, leading Austin to two victories.  

Terquavion Smith

Guard

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 steals 

In the same game that Bazley put up 43, Smith, a 6-4 guard on a two-way with the Philadelphia 76ers, dropped 40 points of his own on 12/23 shooting.

Miller Kopp

Forward

Oklahoma City Blue

24 points, 5.5 rebounds, 53.8 FG%, 60 3P%

The Blue went 2-0 at the Showcase, thanks in large part to the red-hot shooting of Kopp, who buried 12 of his 20 attempts from deep.

Trey Jemison

Center

Birmingham Squadron

13 points, 17 rebounds, 2.5 blocks

Playing in his first Showcase, Jemison, a 6-10, 260-pound center from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), made his presence known, controlling the paint for the 2-0 Squadron.

Jordan “Jelly” Walker

Guard

Texas Legends

27.5 points, 10 assists, 2 steals, 50 FG%, 50 3P%

Walker, Jemison’s former teammate at UAB, has been an impressive floor general for the Legends all season long. In his first Showcase outing, the 5-11 guard notched 23 points, 15 assists, and 3 steals.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post A Look at the Top Performers from the 2023 G League Winter Showcase appeared first on SLAM.

It was hard not to go with Mac McClung. 

In the span of a few days, the Delaware Blue Coats guard earned a call-up from the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a sneaker deal with Puma, and, oh yeah, brought back the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with an unforgettable performance in Salt Lake City (also, I have to call out this 360 layup from Monday night). But…

Carlik Jones has been that good. Really, pretty much unstoppable. The Windy City Bulls star has been one of the best players in the G League all season, and just wrapped up perhaps the busiest month of his career so far. It started with a dominant performance against the Herd in Wisconsin: Jones dropped 40 points on 16/25 shooting from the field and 8/9 from three on February 3. Two days later, he took the court in Greensboro and hung 31 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals on the Swarm. Not a bad road trip.

After going undrafted out of Louisville, Jones first joined the G League in October of 2021, when he was acquired by the Texas Legends. He immediately established himself as an elite scorer and playmaker—on opening day against the Lakeland Magic, he casually put up 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in a win. 

Jones always plays at his own pace, patient and under control. He lulls defenses to sleep and then attacks the paint with force (I was there at the Comerica Center when he did this… and oh my God). At just 6-0, he relies on his athleticism, exceptional handles, and nifty footwork to create offense, both for himself and for others. Pull up any highlight video of Jones and you’ll see the full package: he shoots confidently from behind the arc, stops on a dime for smooth midrange jumpers, finishes through and around rim protectors at the basket, and finds teammates for easy opportunities.

Last year, Jones led the Legends to the second round of the playoffs and was named to the NBA G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He began this season on a standard G League contract but was called up to the Chicago Bulls in December, inking a two-way deal. Since then, he has mostly remained in the G, but did manage to score the second field goal of his NBA career in Paris when the Bulls met the Detroit Pistons in January’s NBA Paris Game.

Appearing in eight G League contests throughout February, Jones averaged 27.5 points (on 46% shooting), 8.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 2 steals. Windy City, a team fighting for a playoff spot, went 6-2 in those games. Jones also logged 22 minutes for Chicago—the most he’s received in an NBA game to date—during a nationally-televised matchup with the Bucks on Feb. 16 (he finished with 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists). 

From there, Jones was off to Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend. He was one of 24 players invited to participate in the first-ever G League Next Up Game, which also featured previous “Players to Watch” Luka Garza, Kenneth Lofton Jr., and Isaiah Mobley.

Of course, McClung was the G Leaguer who stole the show out in Utah. The spotlight has (rightfully so) found him in February, and he has used it to help promote the level of talent in the G. Asked to deliver a message to NBA executives, McClung said, “I’d really encourage them to watch the G League. There’s a lot of people in the G League who deserve the same light.”

People like Carlik Jones. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (FEBRUARY STATS)

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers: 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 47 3P%

Johnny Juzang, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars: 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 49 FG%, 41 3P%

Alize Johnson, Forward, Wisconsin Herd: 17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 66 FG%

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks: 23.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, 49 FG%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 23.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 47 FG%, 38 3P%

Kenneth Faried, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 13.9 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks, 49 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 52 3P%

FEBRUARY CALL-UPS

Willie Cauley-Stein, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

P.J. Dozier, Guard, Iowa Wolves to Sacramento Kings

Kris Dunn, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Utah Jazz

Frank Jackson, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Utah Jazz

Keaton Wallace, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Nate Darling, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Mac McClung, Guard, Delaware Blue Coats to Philadelphia 76ers

Olivier Sarr, Forward, Oklahoma City Blue to Oklahoma City Thunder

Joe Wieskamp, Forward, Wisconsin Herd to Toronto Raptors

Quenton Jackson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Stanley Umude, Guard, Motor City Cruise to Detroit Pistons

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player to Watch (February Edition): Carlik Jones appeared first on SLAM.

Mac McClung, a Delaware Blue Coats guard whose sensational dunks have gone viral, has accepted an invitation to compete in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend next month in Salt Lake City, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

McClung joins Shaedon Sharpe and KJ Martin so far in dunk contest, averaging 17.6 points, 4.4 assists, 63.8 percent shooting and 41.7 percent from 3 this season for the 76ers’ G League affiliate. The high-flying guard played in two NBA games for Bulls and Lakers last season. https://t.co/36wLVSRtx5

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2023

McClung averages 17.6 points and 4.4 assists on 63.8 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc in seven games with the Delaware Blue Coats. McClung has gained a ton of notoriety due to his athletic exploits, going viral as a high school phenom thanks to his electric dunks. His high-profile playstyle helped him play college ball at Georgetown and Texas Tech.

McClung went undrafted during the 2021 NBA Draft and has played two games for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. He won the G League’s Rookie of the Year while playing with the South Bay Lakers and Windy City Bulls. He signed with the Blue Coats after the Golden State Warriors released him in October.

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McClung will compete with Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe and Houston’s KJ Martin.

The post Mac McClung Will be the First G League Player in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s been crazy, but that’s how the game goes,” McClung said in an episode of “The Break,” a series produced by the G League. “If I got to play for all 30 [teams] to make it, I’m going to play for all 30.”

Life on the fringes of the NBA is often a roller coaster. And even for a former high school superstar and social media sensation like McClung, the spotlight doesn’t shine very bright in the G. Nonetheless, the 6-2 guard out of Texas Tech has quietly been making big strides. 

After going undrafted in 2021, McClung eventually landed with the South Bay Lakers, the affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals through the first 13 games of the season before being called up by the Chicago Bulls in mid-December. Hundreds of players entered COVID-19 protocols that month, which led to an unprecedented number of opportunities for G Leaguers. McClung signed a 10-day contract with the Bulls and made his NBA debut almost exactly a year ago (2 points in 3 minutes against the Hawks). Chicago gave him a second 10-day, but McClung did not receive any more playing time, and returned to the South Bay Lakers in January. 

First known for his jaw-dropping dunks, the 23-year-old has shown his versatility as a pro. Back with South Bay, he averaged 21.6 points, 7.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, winning the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Rookie of the Year award (previous winners include Paul Reed, Quinn Cook, Tim Frazier, and Robert Covington). In April, Los Angeles rewarded McClung with a two-way contract and brought him up for the final game of the regular season. He capped a solid performance (and a Lakers victory) that evening with one of those signature jaw-dropping dunks…

Despite a successful, albeit hectic, rookie year, and an impressive showing at the 2022 Summer League, McClung did not make an opening day roster. He turned down million-dollar offers from clubs overseas, instead opting to rejoin the G League and keep chasing his NBA dream. As a member of the Delaware Blue Coats, the affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, McClung has thrived in various roles this season. He dropped a career-high 44 points in November and notched his second career triple-double (21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) shortly after. On some nights, he’s provided a much-needed scoring spark off the bench; on others, he’s been the Blue Coats’ primary playmaker, running the offense and facilitating for his teammates.

SLAM caught up with McClung during the recent G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas. Delaware won both of their games at the annual scouting event, with McClung averaging 12.5 points (on 59 percent shooting), 7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.

SLAM: What was your mindset heading into the Showcase? 

Mac McClung: Just to make the most of whatever my role is for the team. We won, 2-0, that’s always great. Wish we were in the winner’s bracket. But yeah, just make the most of it. Show that I can fit in in any situation.

SLAM: How are you a different player this season compared to last season?

MM: I think I just became better at adapting to situations. I feel like if you’ve seen this year, I’ve played multiple different roles for this team. And I feel like I’ve been a positive influence in each and hopefully people notice that and notice that I can adapt to any situation. 

SLAM: Is there anything specific that you worked on this summer?

MM: Really just film work on patience. When your minutes get cut or something, people often want to force things. I kind of learned to [hold] that back and also just play the game the right way no matter what the situation is, which sounds easy but it’s harder than it sounds.

SLAM: Can you sum up what this past year has been like for you, with all the movement up and down and to different teams/cities? 

MM: It’s been a rollercoaster, if you let it be. That’s one thing I was talking to my parents about. If you let success determine your happiness, it’ll just be a rollercoaster, instead of just buying into each day and the process. That’s one thing I’ve done. And I’m doing what I love every day. Me getting better every single day is my goal—not [moving] up and down [from the NBA]. So when I have that time, hopefully I can capture it. 

SLAM: Any specific moments that encapsulate just how chaotic last season was for you?

MM: If you look at the whole situation, I’ve changed multiple teams. Other teams picked me up. Here, in [Las Vegas] Summer League, I ended up with the Warriors, when I started with the Lakers. It’s just being able to adapt, man. That’s just the League. You’ve got to control what you can. I can’t control what team I’m playing on or if someone wants to give me an opportunity. I just always stay ready.

SLAM: Can you describe your thought process when you were deciding whether to rejoin the G League or sign with a team overseas?

MM: I’ll shout out my best friend, Zac Ervin. I was offered quite a bit of money to go overseas—like, probably I could change my life with that money. I always tell myself I’m going to stick it through until I make it [to the NBA], because I believe in myself. And you get offered that stuff and you’re like, Oh, man. That changes. But my boy Zac was like, “Man, that’s not who you are.” Because we worked out every day from seventh grade to senior year. Every single day. He was like, “Man, you weren’t in the gym for that.” So I’m like, Damn, that’s not who I am. Let me get it while I’m here. 

SLAM: How was your brief experience in the NBA last year beneficial? What did you take away from it?

MM: It’s good just seeing it and learning. I think that’s the biggest thing—experience. When it comes to growing, people talk about, you can work on certain things, but experience is so valuable, man. Being there before is valuable. I got to touch the NBA a little bit and I got those nerves out, those jitters, and I got to see what it’s about. And I’m ready whenever my next opportunity comes. 

SLAM: What can you provide an NBA team right now? 

MM: Multiple things—that’s what I’m trying to show. I’m diverse. If you need me to come and be a point guard off the bench and get others involved, I can do that. If you need me to score, I can score. I’m going to be active—I’m going to be rebounding, diving on the floor, just [providing] energy in any way you want me to.

SLAM: What’s the biggest misconception about your game? 

MM: When I was in college, I wasn’t much of a point guard. But I think if you watch these games, I really get my teammates involved.

SLAM: What’s the biggest misconception about life in the G League?

MM: People just don’t understand how lonely it is, I don’t think. It’s not easy. Andre Ingram told me, “Every five days, something changes.” In the G League, something is changing every five days.

SLAM: What are your overall goals for this season?

MM: Just to keep growing each day, man. I want to play in the NBA. I believe I’m an NBA player. But that will come when I keep working on each day, trying to grow each day. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Mac McClung Talks G League Journey, NBA Experience and More appeared first on SLAM.

Wiseman missed all of 2021-22 as he recovered from knee surgery that cut his rookie season short. The Warriors had remained optimistic that Wiseman would be able to get onto the floor for Summer League 2022, which has happened and paid dividends in this game against the Spurs.

Wiseman looked like the player Golden State has been looking for since he was drafted back in 2020, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds, and two blocks in 20 minutes. He played four-minute spurts to start each quarter but will look to ramp up his time as the summer league progresses.

“It felt good,” Wiseman said via ESPN. “There are a lot of things for me to work on; I mean, my timing was pretty off. But this was my first game. I had fun out there.”

Wiseman’s feel for the game has not left him, but considering the amount of time he has missed, being out on the floor and playing the way he did was a massive success for both him and the Warriors.

“It was physical. That’s a huge adjustment,” Wiseman said. “I’ve been out, so I’ve been doing a lot of individual workouts. So for me to just get that pushing, that physical contact, I’m proud to be out there.”

Johnathan Kumninga led the way for the Warriors with 28 points, while Mac McClung added 22 points in their 86-85 win over the Spurs in their second Summer League game.

Golden State’s next game will be against the Boston Celtics, with tipoff slated for 8:30 p.m. EST.

The post James Wiseman ‘Felt Good’ After Summer League Debut appeared first on SLAM.

Jose Alvarado, Terance Mann, Max Strus, Oshae Brissett and Mac McClung. None of ’em got an invite, initially. They earned it, though, after showing out at the G League’s Elite Camp.

On May 16-17, 44 prospects will participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages and strength and agility drills hoping for an invite to the combine later in the week.

LSU’s Shareef O’Neal, Kansas’ Davis McCormack and UNC’s Brady Manek are among those expected to attend with the hopes of following in the same path the big steppers named above did in their journey to the L.

Here are some of the G League’s Elite Camp biggest success stories.   

“Grand Theft” Alvarado, who attended the camp in 2021, took the NBA by storm this season, but before then, the electric 6-foot guard was just another undrafted player, albeit one with the ACC DPOY award. After signing a two-way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, it took just five games for the team to call Alvarado up from the Birmingham Squadron, where he was averaging 19.8 points and 3.4 swipes per game. His 11 games with 3-plus steals and the two forced 8-second violations he had on Point God Chris Paul in the 2022 playoffs has not only made Alvarado a fan favorite in NOLA but across the entire L. And now, the Elite Camp alum has a well-deserved four-year guaranteed contract to show for it.

In 2019, Terance Mann’s phone was on 1% as he headed to the airport, going home after not being invited to the Draft Combine despite showing out at the G League Elite Camp. As he was preparing to check his bag, the 23-year-old looked down at his phone and saw a number he didn’t recognize. It was the NBA, calling to tell him to turn back around so he could take part in the Combine after all. Now coming off his third year in the League, the FSU product averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 boards for the Clippers, showcasing flashes of brilliance and growth as a secondary option, highlighted by back-to-back 20-pieces in February.

Former undrafted DePaul prospect Max Strus is lighting it up for the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semis. The third-year sharpshooter was able to showcase his scintillating skills for scouts during the Elite Camp in 2019. In 23 minutes per game, Strus is averaging 10.3 points on 41 percent shooting from downtown, knocking down nearly three trey balls a night. The definition of an unphased shooter, Strus shot 50 percent from three with defenders within two feet of him and now remains a vital part of the Heat’s championship run.

Before he was flying through the air in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Oshae Brissett signed with the Toronto Raptors as a two-way player, averaging 14.7 points and 6.5 boards for the Raptors 905 G League squad. Starting the 2021-22 campaign with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (the Pacers’ G League affiliate), the undrafted prospect out of Syracuse was ultimately given the opportunity to sign with the Pacers for the remainder of the season, where he proved a force to be reckoned with in the paint, dropping 27 points and 6 boards in a late February win over the Celtics and 28 and 8 in their final game of the season.

An undrafted guard out of Texas Tech and now the reigning G League Rookie of the Year, Mac McClung showcased his top-tier athleticism and dawg mentality to scouts and coaches at last year’s Elite Camp. After averaging 21.7 points and 7.7 dimes while swiping 1.4 steals per game in the G League, the rookie signed a two-way deal with the Lakers, appearing in their season finale, where he tallied 6 points, 3 boards and a signature reverse throw-down.

Follow along on G League (@nbagleague) and SLAM socials for details on players throughout Elite Camp, storylines and stream info.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The G League Elite Camp Returns to Chicago Looking to Fulfill More NBA Dreams appeared first on SLAM.

First Team:

Justin Anderson – Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Mason Jones – South Bay Lakers

Justin Tillman – College Park Skyhawks

Trevelin Queen – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Moses Wright – Texas Legends

Second Team:

Cat Barber – College Park Skyhawks

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Braxton Key – Delaware Blue Coats

Saben Lee – Motor City Cruise

Reggie Perry – Raptors 905

Third Team:

Luka Garza – Motor City Cruise

Jared Harper – Birmingham Squadron

Justin Jackson – Texas Legends

Carlik Jones – Texas Legends

Anthony Lamb – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

The G League also released their All-Rookie and All-Defensive Team rosters. Notable players are the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Mac McClung and the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Shaquille Harrison. The teams are as follows:

All-Rookie:

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Luka Garza – Motor City Cruise

Carlik Jones – Texas Legends

Mac McClung – South Bay Lakers

Micah Potter – Sioux Falls Skyforce

All-Defensive:

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Braxton Key – Delaware Blue Coats

Tacko Fall – Cleveland Charge

Shaquille Harrison – Delaware Blue Coats

Trevelin Queen – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

The post 2021-22 All-NBA G League, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive Teams Announced appeared first on SLAM.

The issues with positive cases have caused the Bulls to depend on the hardship exemption adding three players recently to the roster. Those three players are South Bay Lakers G-League player Mac McClung, Alfonzo McKinnie, and Stanley Johnson per The Athletic’s Sham Charania.

The Chicago Bulls are signing guard Mac McClung to a 10-day hardship deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. McClung went to training camp with the Lakers and has played for their G League South Bay affiliate.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 21, 2021

The undrafted McClung will join the Bulls after averaging 19.5 points and 6.2 assists per game, three rebounds, and a steal in 13 games in the G-League. His strong shooting from the field (47.5 percent), from behind the arc (39.7 percent), and the free-throw line (83 percent) has made him one of the better young guards in the G-League this season.

McClung was in the Lakers training camp during the preseason but was cut and immediately assigned to the team’s affiliate. This will be his first chance to play the first regular-season game of his career.

The 6’2 guard was a social media smash in high school due to his high-flying dunks. He attended Georgetown University for two seasons, where Patrick Ewing coached him. McClung then transferred to Texas Tech before making himself eligible for the NBA Draft.

The post Chicago Bulls Sign Former South Bay Lakers Mac McClung a 10-Day Deal appeared first on SLAM.

However, McClung’s NBA aspirations are far from over, as Buha reports that McClung will suit up for the South Bay Lakers (the Lakers’ official G-League affiliate when the season tips-off in November).

The Lakers are waiving Mac McClung, sources tell @TheAthletic. McLung will join the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 13, 2021

McClung has been around the Lakers organization since they signed him to their summer league roster; averaging 4.2 points, 2.8 boards and 1.6 dimes over five games in Las Vegas.

It’s no secret that McClung can fly with the best of them, but his 19.4 percent shooting percentage over the summer exposes areas of much needed improvement. Still, while he shot 1-for-7 from behind the arc in Vegas, McClung has shown glimpses of his budding shotmaking ability, shooting 34.3 percent on threes in his junior season with Texas Tech.

McClung may have to wait just a little bit longer for his League dreams to come to fruition but the Gate City, product has more than enough juice left in the tank to sway the minds of executives across the league.

The post Mac McClung Joins South Bay Lakers After Being Waived by Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers entered guard Trevelin Queen to the fray.

Free agent guard Trevelin Queen has signed a partially guaranteed training camp deal with the L.A. Lakers, his agent, Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management, told ESPN. He averaged 13.2 pts on 54% from 3 and 2.0 stl per game for the Lakers’ summer league team in Las Vegas

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 28, 2021

Queen’s time with the Lakers summer league team presumably got him this opportunity averaging 13.2 points a game while making a robust 54 percent of his three-point shots. Continuing the trend of his summer league play will help him in a highly competitive camp with Mac McClung, Chaundee Brown and recent Exhibit 10 signee, Cam Oliver for that last two-way contract.

Trevelin Queen was undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft out of New Mexico State. He spent with the Houston Rockets G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Queen averaged 10 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 45.8 percent from the field in the G League bubble with an impressive 35 point performance against the Santa Cruz Warriors.

With Queen signed, the Lakers’ training camp roster stands at 19 out of the 20 maximum players allowed by NBA rules.

The post REPORT: Lakers Add Trevelin Queen to Training Camp Roster appeared first on SLAM.

DeAndre Jordan is expected to sign a one-year, $2.6M deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after he clears waivers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 3, 2021

The major question now is how Jordan’s minutes play a part with Marc Gasol’s future. Los Angeles, who signed Dwight Howard in free agency and have Anthony Davis getting important minutes at center, have to deal with speculation and rumors that Gasol might not return to the roster next season.

The veteran center expressed his desire to play the next season with the Lakers after his stint with the Spanish team at the Tokyo Olympics, but NBA reporter Marc Stein has heard rumors that Gasol isn’t a ‘lock’ to return to the team.

I’m hearing that Marc Gasol is not a lock to return to the Lakers, even after Gasol said following Spain’s quarterfinal loss to the United States in the Olympics that he intends to play out the final year of the two-year deal he signed with Los Angeles. It’s not yet clear if that means Gasol is poised to be set free to play elsewhere in the NBA or if he would ultimately opt to finish his career in his home country like brother Pau.

Gasol’s first season as a Laker was a struggle. He didn’t just fall out of the starting lineup, but the rotation for a period when the team signed Andre Drummond. That move brought reports that he “considered asking for a buyout before opting to remain with the team.

The Lakers have 13 players with guaranteed contracts, Austin Reaves and Joseph Ayayi, who signed two way deals, with Chaundee Brown and Mac McClung signed to non-guaranteed deals.

Marc Gasol is under contract this season for $2.6 million.

The post DeAndre Jordan to Sign One-Year Deal with Lakers, Marc Gasol ‘Not a Lock to Return’ appeared first on SLAM.

Raised in Gate City, McClung attended a small school (Gate City High School) close to home, where he played on the school’s basketball team and finished his high school career with 2,801 points, while still only being considered a three-star recruit.

After getting buckets and leaving his mark in his hometown, Mac decided to take his talents to the next level, committing to play at Georgetown University under legendary Knickerbocker, Patrick Ewing.

At Georgetown, McClung averaged 14.2 points and 2.2 assists per game in his first two seasons before transferring to Texas Tech, where he would go on and finish his junior season with 15.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assist per game.

McClung, widely-known for his athleticism and ferocious attacks on the rim, makes driving past defenders look as easy as drinking water on a hot summer day.

It’s safe to say the league is in great hands with a talent like McClung coming in; fresh blood like this is something many teams will be impatiently waiting to get their hands on.

The post Texas Tech’s Mac McClung Declares for 2021 NBA Draft appeared first on SLAM.

The post Mac McClung Drops 26 Points to Defeat Syracuse! 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

The post Are Mac McClung & James Akinjo the Best Backcourt in Big East? 👀 appeared first on SLAM.

We spent some time with McClung a year ago.

The post Mac McClung is BACK! Summer Pro-Am Highligts Pt. 1 appeared first on SLAM.

—

While the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic has emerged as one of the most anticipated events on the high school basketball national calendar, the selection process as well as its outreach approach differs from other all-star games in the space. 

NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson not only serves as the face of the three-day showcase—the former League MVP and 11-time All-Star is also actively involved in scouting and selecting players year-round. And when we say scouting, we’re not talking about scrolling through social media and basing opinions off of highlight mixes. Iverson has made a concerted effort to roll up his sleeves and physically be on the ground at numerous grassroots events.

“People would be surprised—Allen [Iverson] goes to a number of high school games, tournaments, [just] different things throughout the year,” says Iverson Classic co-founder and partner Bobby Bates. “You won’t know where he’s going. Wherever he goes, he’ll relay the information back to someone in the circle—‘Hey, I like this guy’ or ‘I like that kid.’ From time to time he’ll say who he really, really likes. Last year, with Mac McClung, Allen was passionate about wanting him in the game because of what he was doing in Virginia and breaking his records and then going to Georgetown, so there are definitely guys where Allen says, ‘This is a kid that I definitely want at the game.’”

The selection process actually commences almost a year prior to the event, with the list shortening gradually as the event nears.

“We really start the summer before their senior year—really even the spring,” says Bates. “We have a number of guys from the East Coast to the West Coast—[we] respect their knowledge. We watch what the kids do in the spring and summer, and all the way to Christmas of their senior year. After the summer, we put together a list of 50 guys. We look at long-term upside, NBA upside, what they’ve done in grassroots/AAU basketball and their high school career, and then eventually start ranking them one through 24.”

Beyond having a Hall-of-Famer directly involved in handpicking the players, another way in which the Iverson Classic separates itself from other all-star games is in their outreach to the families and their involvement in the festivities.  

“We talk to [the families of the players] before we announce the roster. We do it a little different than the other guys,” says Bates. “We don’t just send some fancy package. We want to be more personable. I just feel like the families appreciate that more. We still give them certificates and some of the other things the other guys do, but in the end I want them to be more comfortable going in. I’ve had mothers break down on the phone crying when I’ve made that phone call. A lot of families leave after the event and say, ‘This was the best event that we’ve been to. Y’all treat us like human beings—we got a point of contact we can talk to.’ They feel like a part of it as opposed to just throwing them to the side where all we care about is your boys.”

With tons of national rankings these days, it’s fairly easy for any game organizer to simply pick the top 24 players listed and call it a day. Yet the Iverson Classic has decided to make it its mission to identify and reward top recruits that other games have often ignored because of their ranking placement.

“We don’t go after them just because they’re ranked one through 24. Obviously, rankings do play into it; we don’t have one kid that’s ranked outside of the top 50,” says Bates. “But some of the kids who get slept on for the other games—you look at a kid like DJ Carton, just from watching him at USA Basketball to high school, we felt like he was slept on. He’s probably one of the top two or three point guards [and] could end up being the top point guard out of this class. Look at a kid like Terry Armstrong and what he’s done. There are some great tournaments out there, but you look at the Grind Session where there’s a lot of high-level talent on a lot of those teams. Terry was MVP last year and Offensive MVP this year. And that’s a kid who didn’t get selected for any all-star games. But we selected him. EJ Liddell is another example.”  

With year three tipping off, the 2019 Iverson Classic hopes to continue keeping Allen Iverson’s legacy alive by selecting players who not only mirror the former Georgetown guard’s skill set but also his competitive spirit and personality. Check out the full rosters below:

“We select 24 young men who we think best represent the Iverson brand as a whole,” says Bates. “As Allen says, ‘I want this thing going 20 years, 30 years from now.’ Each one of these guys will forever have their name attached to Allen. And that’s an honor on both sides. We want young men who are going to represent that same cloth that Allen is cut from.”

—

COP YOUR ALLEN IVERSON SLAM COVER TEE HERE.

Franklyn Calle is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7. 

The post THE PROCESS: How Players Are Selected for the Iverson Classic appeared first on SLAM.

Check out the video above for his full highlights!

The post Mac McClung is dominating PROS now?! Kenner League Highlights 💪🏽 appeared first on SLAM.

After racking up extensive accolades during his four years of high school ball in Virginia — including surpassing Allen Iverson’s single-season state scoring record — McClung is bringing the show to Georgetown University where he’ll play under Hoya legend Patrick Ewing as he takes the next step to achieve his NBA dreams.

Catch up to the hype and learn all about college basketball’s next superstar by checking out the SLAM documentary in the video above.

RELATED: Mac McClung, Jahvon Quinerly SHOW OUT in Iverson Classic!

The post MAC MCCLUNG Documentary | The Rise of a High School Basketball SENSATION 💯 appeared first on SLAM.

Featuring a host of top seniors—including Mac McClung, Jahvon Quinerly, Shareef O’Neal and Kevin Porter Jr—and Allen Iverson mentoring and motivating the players, this event is exactly what high school basketball needs.

RELATED:
Allen Iverson Gives Emotional Speech After Iverson Classic

The post Iverson Classic: THE MOVIE 🎥 appeared first on SLAM.

Villanova commit Jahvon Quinerly brought his signature jelly to the showcase, and a 148-134 win for Team Loyalty.

Georgetown commit Mac McClung finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for Team Honor.

RELATED:
Allen Iverson Talks NBA With Top High School Seniors

The post Mac McClung, Jahvon Quinerly SHOW OUT in Iverson Classic! 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

The group – which included Mac McClung, Shareef O’Neal, Kevin Porter Jr., and more – sat down at a roundtable at the event banquet and debated the all-time NBA greats. Peep the conversation above.

RELATED
Michael Jordan Needled Allen Iverson Over Legendary Crossover

The post Allen Iverson Talks NBA With Top High School Seniors appeared first on SLAM.

A three-pointer by the 6-2 point guard out of Gate City (VA) High, who finished with 41 points for the night, was the bucket that ultimately surpassed The Answer’s record (982 points), which he set back in 1993 at Bethel HS during his junior season. Iverson set the state record that year in 30 games. McClung took only 25 games, and still has some games left this season.

Fittingly, just like Iverson did in the ’90s, McClung has already announced that he will be spending his college career at Georgetown.

The post Georgetown Commit Mac McClung Breaks Allen Iverson’s Virginia Single-Season Scoring Record appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, the Georgetown commit once again sent his high school gym (and subsequently, social media) into a frenzy after pulling off a between-the-legs in-game dunk. Peep the game highlights (including the aforementioned dunk) in the video above.

The post Mac McClung Pulls Off a Between-the-Legs Dunk During Game appeared first on SLAM.

Mac McClung is not like most kids.

The 6-2, Class of 2018 guard from Gate City, Virginia tried playing with some friends on the playground or in driveways growing up, but it wasn’t until seventh grade that he decided he wanted to try his hand at the sport.

As an athlete, McClung considered himself a football player up to that point. But the allure of being a hooper pulled him away from the gridiron.

“Just the whole swag about basketball,” McClung said. “With the kicks, the players and just all the swag that comes with being able to separate yourself with your game is what drew me to it. In seventh grade I told my dad I wanted to be the best I could be, so we’ve been working out two, three times a day ever since. I want to get in the NBA and be a big factor.”

Having NBA dreams isn’t out of the ordinary for a kid who falls in love with the sport. However, work ethic and focus to the point of dedicating just about every second of their leisure time to practice is typically what separates good players from great ones.

Because Gate City High is a relatively small school (enrollment wise) in Virginia, McClung knew he had to prove himself as a total unknown on the club circuit a couple years ago.

As he recalls, while he was warming up before a pickup game the summer after his sophomore year of high school he noticed something totally different: His view of the rim as he was dunking for the first time. Since then, his literal rise hasn’t ceased.

McClung burst onto the radar of high school basketball enthusiasts within the last year as Youtube videos and mixtapes of some jaw-dropping dunks made the rounds on social media. Last summer, mid-major programs began to offer and following another aerial assault on the rims this spring he picked up his first two high-major offers – Rutgers and Georgetown.

Having just wrapped up a successful three-game run with Team Loaded VA at the NY2LA Sports Summer Jam, one of the premier events in July and attended by almost every collegiate program in the country, McClung said he’s now got programs like Marquette, Utah, Gonzaga, Arizona State and Virginia tracking his progress on the court.

Obviously those programs are intrigued by his elite athleticism, but they are more concerned with his overall skill as a guard.

“I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, he’s just a dunker,’” McClung said. “I want people to know I can play. Legit, I’m doing my best to keep working so I can see how far I can get.”

“I believe I need to keep working on my shooting, and really get that down,” McClung adds. “I drive to the hoop well, and I think I got good moves, but I need to work on my pull-up and three-point shot.”

In Milwaukee, McClung has been showing off his ability to handle, strong drives to the cup as well as his ability to finish in multiple ways at the rim. But he’s also drained some perimeter shots – the part of his game he is still developing. He will have no shortage of eyes on him in the college coaches section as the live evaluation period wraps up.

“It’s so different,” says McClung of playing with such talented teammates, such as high major prospects David McCormack, Armando Bacot, Rasir Bolton and Jairus Hamilton. “I’m just getting used to it. They have to get their shots too because they’re 5-star guys. Back at my place, I have the ball the whole time. It’s making me better because it’s getting me ready for the college experience.”

The rise from a newbie of the sport to a local standout and then national recruit has been rapid. The viral videos of his dunks have helped accelerate his notoriety among hoop fans, but the fact that his mother’s sister has a famous son who is a rapper has also helped some people take notice. Just look at the title of the highlight video above.

Given McClung’s track record of rapid improvement, it is tough to accurately project his ceiling as a player. But it is safe to say he is more than just a dunk phenom. If he gets to where he wants to go, he hopes the other label he’s recently gotten from those who have seen his most recent mixtape will be flipped as well.

“I want Riff Raff to be known as Mac McClung’s cousin,” he said with a laugh.

(Photo Credit: Leon Threat/www.ThreatHoops.com) 

The post Arrival of the Mac appeared first on SLAM.