Three-time dunk champion earns new honor! McClung wins G League MVP again, previously crowned all-time scoring leader

On April 4 Beijing time, McClung continues to rewrite G League (NBA Development League) history. The 27-year-old, three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion has become the first player to win the G League regular season MVP multiple times. Just last month, this two-way contract guard playing for the Windy City Bulls, affiliated with the Chicago Bulls, scored 59 points in a single game, surpassing Renaldo Major's career total to become the G League's all-time scoring king.

In the MVP voting involving head coaches and general managers from league teams, Houston Rockets two-way contract guard Newton, playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, placed second, while Stockton Kings swingman Jeffries, affiliated with the Sacramento Kings, ranked third.

Since its establishment in 2001, McClung has scored 5335 total points across five seasons in the G League, including opening games, regular season, and playoffs. In comparison, Major needed ten seasons to accumulate 5299 points.

McClung's previous MVP award came in the 2023-24 season while playing for the Osceola Magic. In the season before that, he also helped the Delaware Blue Coats win the G League championship.

Similar to his time with the Magic affiliate two years ago, McClung again led the league in scoring this season. He topped the league with an average of 31.8 points per game, while also averaging 7.9 assists and hitting 3.5 three-pointers per game.

McClung has only played 11 NBA games so far, with 5 of them occurring this season. This 6-foot-2 explosive leaper, undrafted from Texas Tech in 2021, has carved out his own influence in basketball despite a turbulent career path.

McClung initially gained online fame through viral dunk videos from Gate City High School in Virginia. He later showcased his jumping ability on the global stage of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest: winning in 2023, defending his title in 2024, and winning again in 2025, achieving a milestone three consecutive dunk contest championships.

The 2026 Slam Dunk Contest could have featured him. After a generally underwhelming contest without McClung, he posted four dunks he had planned to perform. His creativity and athleticism remain astonishing.

McClung's college career began at Georgetown University before transferring to Texas Tech. In the 2021 NCAA Tournament, his Red Raiders team entered as a 6-seed and ultimately stopped in the Round of 32.

In the following years, he received several opportunities to play in NBA regular season games, but each stint was very brief.

Early this season, the Indiana Pacers, urgently needing guards, signed McClung to a multi-year contract—his first official NBA standard contract—but waived him within two weeks. McClung played 3 games for the Pacers, all losses, averaging 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game as a substitute.

In the two games he played for the Bulls this season, he totaled 12 points. During Thursday's heavy loss to the Pacers, he got playing time and scored 8 points on 6-of-3 shooting.

McClung has played NBA games for the Bulls, Lakers, 76ers, Magic, and Pacers, but with limited minutes and sporadic opportunities. In the G League, however, his dominance remains unchallenged.