With less than a week before the regular season opener, the Chicago Bulls are still making moves. According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Bulls have signed three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Mac McClung to a contract.
McClung’s three Slam Dunk Contest victories are certainly his most notable achievements in his abbreviated NBA career, yet he has consistently been one of the top G-League players since going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Mac McClung has impressed in the G-League
In his rookie season, McClung spent most of his time with the South Bay Lakers, though he signed two 10-day contracts with the Bulls in December 2021 and January 2022. He appeared in one game for the Chicago Bulls and one for the Windy City Bulls.
In his first NBA appearance with Chicago, McClung played just three minutes and scored two points. In his lone game for the Windy City Bulls, the 6-foot-2 guard dropped 19 points and added eight assists. Over the course of the season, McClung averaged an impressive 20.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, earning G League All-Rookie First Team honors.
A year later, McClung spent most of his time with the Delaware Blue Coats, while also appearing in two games for the Philadelphia 76ers. In 49 games with Delaware, the Texas Tech product averaged 18.9 points and 5.3 assists per game. That season also marked his first Slam Dunk Contest victory.
McClung’s third professional season was his best yet. On top of winning a second consecutive Slam Dunk Contest, he was named the G League Most Valuable Player after averaging 25.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game for the Osceola Magic.
Following his breakout season, McClung spent 2024–25 on a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic. Once again, the Virginia native put up eye-catching numbers, averaging 23.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while reclaiming the Slam Dunk Contest crown. Yet despite his production, McClung wasn’t re-signed, leaving the 26-year-old to wait until October to join an NBA roster.
McClung’s arrival likely to prompt roster changes
Now, with McClung reportedly agreeing to a deal, Chicago has 19 players under contract—15 on standard deals, three on two-way contracts, and McClung’s, the details of which are not yet known. It’s also possible the Bulls signed the former Slam Dunk Contest champion with the intention of waiving him so that the Windy City Bulls can acquire his rights.
All 15 of Chicago’s standard contracts are guaranteed, making it unlikely the Bulls will waive anyone to open a roster spot for McClung. However, there’s a chance he could take over one of the team’s two-way slots. The Bulls’ current two-way players—Yuki Kawamura, Emanuel Miller, and Lachlan Olbrich—saw limited action during the preseason, logging 22, 19, and 17 minutes, respectively. It’s worth noting, though, that McClung is a much different player than any of Chicago’s current two-way signees, which is a distinction that could give him an inside track to replacing one of them, either now or later.
Nonetheless, the general assumption is that the Bulls signed McClung to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, similar to Kevin Knox’s deal, with the intention of waiving him so he can join the Windy City Bulls.
If anything, signing McClung makes for one of the most entertaining G-League rosters in the NBA. He joins Chicago’s three two-way signees, which include the ever-exciting 5-foot-8 phenom Yuki Kawamura and likely 12th overall pick Noa Essengue, who is expected to spend significant time with the Windy City Bulls this season as he develops.