Mac McClung has been credited with saving the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on the back of his insane performance on Saturday night, but Stephen A. Smith is blaming LeBron James for ruining it.
McClung, a G-League call-up, put on a remarkable show over the weekend. And, no matter what he does from here on out, no one will be able to take the achievement away from him.
As for LeBron, the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP has never once competed in the Slam Dunk Contest, though he’s been in the league since 2003. The NBA’s new all-time leading scorer has refused to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, and the many other notable stars to have taken part in (and won) said competition.
The contest has been watered down over the years, with stars now following LBJ’s lead and keeping their talents away despite being superior in-game dunkers.
You could take a listen to Stephen A’s rant in the video below:
It’s really hard to disagree with the First Take host but there’s also a case to be made for James, which is a simple one: it’s the man’s choice.
