Mac McClung has become the modern face of the Slam Dunk Contest, and that’s exactly why he says he isn’t in it this year.
In comments circulated this week, McClung explained that he chose to sit out the 2026 dunk contest after being told some NBA players were reluctant to participate if he entered. McClung described “back and forth” conversations and said he ultimately felt it was better to step aside “this year and let it be,” rather than have the field thin out because prospective entrants didn’t want to go head-to-head with him.
The dynamic is notable because McClung isn’t just another recent champion, he’s won the last three dunk contests, a streak that made him the event’s clear standard-bearer and, in a strange way, a deterrent. McClung’s explanation frames his decision less as an exit and more as a concession designed to help the contest recruit higher-profile or more willing participants without the looming premise of “beat the guy who always wins.”
With McClung out, the NBA has already set the 2026 field: Carter Bryant, Jaxson Hayes, Keshad Johnson and Jase Richardson will compete at Intuit Dome during All-Star Saturday. The league’s dunk contest has long wrestled with participation and star power, and McClung’s comments underline the push-pull at the heart of it: the event benefits from a dominant, creative dunker who treats it seriously, but that same dominance can make potential challengers hesitate, especially in an era where reputational risk can feel larger than the reward.
McClung didn’t accuse any specific player publicly, and he didn’t position himself as bigger than the contest. If anything, his reasoning landed as pragmatic: if his presence becomes the reason others won’t sign up, the cleanest way to keep the competition alive is to remove the obstacle, even when the obstacle is the reigning champion.
