Three Time Champ Mac McClung Skips Slam Dunk Contest

Merlin sees Mac McClung, the three-time defending NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, "will not be participating" in this year’s Feb. 14 event at the Intuit Dome. His absence removes the only player to ever three-peat and the showman who earned "perfect scores of 50" and went perfect on all four dunks in 2025, leaving the field wide open while no participants have yet been announced. Merlin notes the contest now becomes a hunt for a new high-flyer. Judges and fans loved McClung’s routines, so expect organizers to chase flash and creativity; an under-the-radar G League star or rookie could seize the moment and give the crowd a memorable night.