Let’s familiarize ourselves with the two G-League players who are expected to compete in the 2024 Slam Dunk Contest.
Mac McClung and Jacob Toppin are poised to become two of the most searched names in the sports realm, following the revelation that they could be partaking in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend.
According to reports from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the anticipated roster is anticipated to include Jaime Jaquez Jr. from the Miami Heat and the standout from the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown.
While Jaquez and Brown are the prominent figures, Charania also highlighted the potential participation of two G-League talents: Mac McClung representing the Osceola Magic and Jacob Toppin representing the Westchester Knicks.
Toppin may be the most well-known for the average sports fan because he’s the younger brother of New York Knicks power forward Obi Toppin.
Obi was drafted eighth overall by the Knicks in 2020 and was traded to the Indiana Pacers this past summer. He’s currently averaging 10.9 points and 4.0 assists per game as an NBA player. He was the winner of the 2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and apparently, his brother, Jacob, has the same kind of hops in his game.
Jacob, aged 23, went undrafted in 2023 but secured a spot with the Knicks on a two-way contract in the G-League. He honed his skills playing college basketball at Rhode Island and Kentucky, where he boasted averages of 12.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game during his senior year with the Wildcats.
As for McClung, he faced a similar fate in the 2021 NBA Draft after completing two seasons at Georgetown followed by a stint at Texas Tech. While he gained experience in the G-League, it wasn’t until February 2023 that he truly made a mark by signing a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
McClung’s breakthrough moment came when he received an invitation to the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, where he astounded everyone by emerging victorious.
