NBA ALL-STAR RISING STARS

February 17, 2023

Mac McClung

Team Jason

Press Conference

Q. What was that experience like for you?

MAC McCLUNG: It was a lot of fun. I felt a lot of gratitude and I was really happy to be out there, but I wanted to compete. I wanted to show who I was. I had a lot of fun.

Q. You've been on a bit of a roller coaster with a couple of colleges and then Bulls, Lakers. You got a little taste and back down, and now you're back up again. What's that been like for you, and what are some of the keys that keep you going?

MAC McCLUNG: I read a lot about manifestation and keeping your mind -- if you get too high or too low, you know, it's going to affect how you play on the court, who you are as a person, so I kind of just stay even keel.

I believe in myself. I'm just going to wait my turn until it's my turn to get an opportunity.

Q. What was your initial reaction when you got the call that they wanted you to be in the Dunk Contest tomorrow? Was it sort of like shock, disbelief?

MAC McCLUNG: I was really shocked. I was trying to make sense of it, but I was, like, this is an opportunity I need to take advantage of it, and hopefully I do tomorrow.

Q. Did anybody surprising reach out to you about being in the Dunk Contest?

MAC McCLUNG: A lot of people did. A lot of professional dunkers, and a lot of -- obviously all my friends. Everybody is just super pumped about it.

Q. Everyone knows that you can dunk. What are some of the keys you think for you to stick in the NBA? What are some of the parts of the game that you are really kind of focusing on and that coaches have talked to you about?

MAC McCLUNG: Being a point guard, defense. I feel like my shot has been really good this year. Just being able to control the pace and help teams win and fit in any role because each team is going to have a different role you need to fit in. Being able to adapt.

Q. You could also play bigger too because of your athleticism, right, and your size and strength too, right?

MAC McCLUNG: Yes, sir, I believe so.

Q. You embrace the contact too, right?

MAC McCLUNG: Yes, sir. I'm all about competing.

Q. What about the reaction from the crowd? Like at first you went up and had a layup, you missed, right? Everybody got excited, and then also on that dunk that you almost had, people got excited.

MAC McCLUNG: Hopefully I got that miss out. Hopefully we can take the misses out from here. It was great. I wish I had that layup back, too. But it's so fun to play with a crowd that has your back like that.

Q. What was the whole experience like? You want to be in the NBA. You're a G League guy now getting to play in front of this crowd.

MAC McCLUNG: Yeah. I think my biggest challenge is just, like, my mind and how I'm going to approach it. Obviously, I want to compete, but it's also an opportunity, man. You look back and think, wow, I'm going to tell my kids about this one day. I was in the Rising Stars game. A lot of people probably dream to do that. It was awesome, man.