Mac McClung: Why He’s Not in the NBA and His Salary

There’s a strange disconnect in basketball: Mac McClung can jump over Shaquille O’Neal and score 50 points in a G League game, yet he’s played only two NBA minutes this season. As of 2025, McClung has earned more from winning three Slam Dunk contests ($310,000) than from his entire NBA playing career ($245,064), according to Front Office Sports (sports business news outlet).

Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) ·
Weight: 185 lb (84 kg) ·
NBA games played: 2 ·
Slam Dunk Contest wins: 2 ·
Career NBA earnings: $245,064

Nine key facts, one pattern: Mac McClung is a two-time dunker who has made more money from three contests than from his entire NBA playing career. The table below compiles his biographical and career essentials.

Why is Mac McClung not in the NBA?

Size and defensive limitations

• At 6’2″ and 185 lbs, McClung is undersized for a shooting guard in the modern NBA (WRTV / AP).
• His defensive metrics in the G League have not translated to NBA-level defense, a concern for teams (Front Office Sports).
• NBA scouts reportedly view him as a liability on the defensive end, limiting his minutes even in garbage time.

The pattern: McClung’s size and defensive limitations have kept him off NBA rosters despite his G League success.

G League success vs. NBA role

• McClung has averaged 23.5 points per game in the G League over the past two seasons (Basketball News).
• He scored 50 points in a G League game in January 2024, yet that performance did not lead to a call-up (Basketball News).
• NBA teams question whether his scoring can translate at the NBA level given his limited playmaking and off-ball defense.

The implication: McClung’s G League dominance is real, but the gap between being a G League star and an NBA rotation player remains wide. Teams see him as a fringe player who excels in a free-flowing environment but struggles in structured NBA sets.

See also: Karl-Anthony Towns Biography: Stats, Ethnicity, Net Worth & More and Chet Holmgren: Height, Injury, Salary & NBA Career.

How much is Mac McClung’s salary?

Two-way contract earnings

• McClung’s most recent two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls was worth $245,064 (Front Office Sports).
• For the 2024-25 season, the two-way salary figure is $578,577 (Front Office Sports).
• His total NBA career earnings stand at $245,064 as of 2025 (Sports Illustrated).

G League salary breakdown

• G League players on standard contracts earn between $125,000 and $127,000 per season (Yardbarker).
• McClung’s three Slam Dunk Contest victories have earned him more than $310,000 in prize money (Sports Illustrated).
• That means his dunk contest winnings exceed his NBA salary by about $65,000 (Front Office Sports).

The catch: McClung makes more money jumping over cars than playing actual NBA games. For a two-time champion, that’s a remarkable—and telling—financial reality.

The catch: McClung’s dunk contest winnings exceed his NBA salary, highlighting the financial disparity between his highlight-reel fame and his actual NBA earnings.

Why is Mac McClung not in the NBA dunk contest?

NBA dunk contest eligibility

• Mac McClung actually participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2023 and 2024 as a G League invitee (NBA.com).
• He won both contests, becoming the first G League player to win the event (Basketball News).
• The question likely stems from confusion about his NBA vs. G League status—he is not on an NBA roster but is still eligible as a G League contestant.

The pattern: McClung is the most famous dunker not in the NBA, which makes his contest appearances feel like a loophole. But the NBA’s rules allow any current or former G League player to participate, so he keeps coming back.

Did Mac McClung ever play in the NBA?

NBA debut and appearances

• Mac McClung made his NBA debut on December 29, 2021, with the Chicago Bulls (Sports Illustrated).
• He has appeared in a total of 2 NBA regular season games (Front Office Sports).
• He also signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors but did not play for them (Front Office Sports).

Why this matters: McClung’s NBA footprint is tiny—two games, 12 minutes total. His career is a series of short-term two-way contracts that never turned into a permanent spot.

How much does Puma pay Mac McClung?

Endorsement deal details

• Mac McClung signed a shoe endorsement deal with Puma in 2022 (Bleacher Report).
• The exact financial terms are not publicly disclosed (Bleacher Report).
• For non-star players, such deals typically range from $50,000 to $200,000 annually, according to industry estimates.

The upshot: McClung’s Puma deal likely doubles his income from basketball, but it’s still a fraction of what a minimum NBA contract would pay. His brand value is tied to dunk contests, not regular-season minutes.

The upshot: McClung’s Puma deal ties his brand to dunk contests, not NBA minutes.

“Mac McClung is a phenomenal athlete and a great dunker, but the NBA game is about more than highlights. Defensively, he’s a liability, and teams are not willing to give him minutes that could go to a two-way player with more size.”

— NBA analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity

“His G League scoring is impressive, but it’s a different game when you’re playing against NBA starters. The jump is massive.”

— Former G League coach, via Basketball News

For Mac McClung, the path to a standard NBA contract is blockaded by his size and defensive limitations. His dunk contest winnings have already surpassed his NBA salary, but the real prize—a guaranteed roster spot—remains elusive. The Bulls’ two-way deal in 2025 is his latest chance, but at 26, time is running out. For a player who can jump over Shaquille O’Neal, the hardest leap is still the one into an NBA rotation.