Since his professional career began a year ago, Mack McLean has lived in five different cities and played for six different teams. He jumped from one coast to the other, from the G League to the NBA, from starter to backup.
“It was crazy, but that’s the game,” McClung said on the G League’s first episode of “The Break.” “If I play for all 30 [teams] “I’ll play for 30 to do that,” he said.
Life on the NBA sidelines is often a roller coaster. And even for a former high school star and social media sensation like McClung, the spotlight doesn’t shine so bright in the G, but the 6-2 guard from Texas Tech is quietly making big strides.
In the year After not being released in 2021, McClung eventually landed with the South Bay Lakers, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals through the first 13 games of the season before being called up by the Chicago Bulls in mid-December. That month, hundreds of players were placed under Covid-19 protocols, creating unprecedented opportunities for the G League. McClung signed a 10-day contract with the Bulls and made his NBA debut almost a year ago (2 points in 3 minutes against the Hawks). Chicago gave him a 10-day second chance, but McClung didn’t get any more playing time, and he returned to the South Bay Lakers in January.
The 23-year-old, first known for his jaw-dropping looks, has shown his versatility as a professional. Averaging 21.6 points, 7.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in his return with South Bay, he won the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Rookie of the Year Award (past winners Paul Reed, Quinn Cook, Tim Frazier and Robert Covington). In April, Los Angeles awarded McClung a two-way contract and extended him for the final game of the regular season. He had a solid performance (and a Lakers win) that night with those signature jaw-dropping dunks.
Despite a successful, busy, rookie year and impressive showing in the 2022 summer league, McClung did not make the Opening Day roster. He turned down millions from overseas clubs, instead joining the G League and continuing to pursue his NBA dream. As a member of the Delaware Blue Coats, an affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, McClung has thrived in multiple roles this season. He had his second career triple-double (21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) shortly after dropping a career-high 44 points in November. He has provided a much-needed spark off the bench on some nights; At others, he was the Bluecoats’ primary playmaker, running the offense and setting things up for his teammates.
SLAM recently caught up with McClung at the G League Winter Show in Las Vegas. Delaware won both games at the annual scouting event, with McClung averaging 12.5 points (on 59 percent shooting), 7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
SLAM: What was your mindset heading into the demo?
Mac McCling: Just to use my full role for the team. We won 2-0, that’s always good. We wish we were in the winner’s bracket. But yeah, just make the most of it. Show that I can agree in any situation.
Slam: How are you a different player compared to last season?
MM. I think I’m better at adapting to situations. If you look at this year, I feel like I’ve played different roles for this team. And I feel like I’m a positive influence in every one and hopefully people will notice that and I can adapt to any situation.
SLAM: Did you do anything special this summer?
MM. Actually filmmaking is all about patience. People often want to force things when your minutes are cut or you get something. I kind of learned [hold] Back that up and also play the game the right way regardless of the situation, which sounds simple but is harder than it sounds.
SLAM: Can you summarize what this past year has been like for you, ups and downs and moves to different teams/cities?
MM. It was a rollercoaster if you let it. It’s something I’ve been talking about with my parents. If you let success determine your happiness, it’s just a rollercoaster instead of buying it every day and the process. That’s one thing I did. And I’m doing what I love every day. My goal is to improve every day – no [moving] Up and down [from the NBA]. So when I have that time, hopefully I can take it.
SLAM: Are there any specific moments that describe how chaotic last season was for you?
MM. If you look at the whole situation, I changed a lot of teams. Other teams took me. Here, in [Las Vegas] Summer league, I ended with the Warriors, started with the Lakers. You just have to be able to adapt, man. It’s just a league. You have to control what you can. I can’t control the team I play for or if someone wants to give me a chance. I am always ready.
SLAM: Can you describe your thought process when deciding whether to rejoin the G League or sign with an overseas team?
MM. Shout out to my best friend Zach Ervin. I was given a very small amount of money to go overseas—like, maybe I could change my life with that money. I always tell myself until I do it [to the NBA]Because I believe in myself. And you are presented with that thing and you are like this Oh man. That will change. But my son Zach was like, “Man, that’s not you.” Because we worked every day from seventh grade to senior year. Every day. He was like, “Man, you weren’t in the gym for that.” So I’m like, I’m not who I am. I’ll get it while I’m here.
SLAM: How was your brief experience in the NBA last year useful? What did you take?
MM. It’s good to just watch and learn. I think the biggest thing – experience. When it’s growing, people say, you can work on some things, but experience is very important, man. It is important to be present before. I started to touch the NBA a little bit and get the nerves out, those jitters, and see what it’s all about. And whenever the next opportunity comes, I’m ready.
SLAM: What can you offer an NBA team right now?
MM. A lot of things – that’s what I’m trying to show. I am different. If you want me to come in and be a point guard off the bench and get others involved, I can do that. If you want me to score, I can score. I’ll be active—rebounding, diving on the floor, just [providing] Energy any way you want me.
SLAM: What is the biggest misconception about your game?
MM. I wasn’t much of a point guard when I was in college. But if you watch these games, I will help my teammates.
SLAM: What’s the biggest misconception about life in the G League?
MM. I don’t think people understand how lonely it is. It is not easy. “Something changes every five days,” Andre Ingram told me. In the G League, something is changing every five days.
SLAM: What are your overall goals this season?
MM. Just to keep growing every day, man. I want to play in the NBA. I believe I am an NBA player. But that comes as I continue to work every day as I try to grow.
Photos via Getty Images.
