Latest news with #OsceolaMagic
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stockton Kings to host championship celebration Saturday at Adventist Health Arena
The Stockton Kings will celebrate their NBA G League Championship victory with Stockton residents on Saturday. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, the Stockton Kings will host a championship celebration at the Adventist Health Arena. Advertisement "This free, family-friendly event invites fans to celebrate the team's first-ever NBA G League title with an afternoon of fun, featuring photo opportunities with the NBA G League and Western Conference Championship trophies, face painting, balloon artistry, and activities in the Kids Zone, including games and coloring wall," a Stockton Kings news release states. "In addition, fans will get a live look at game-worn and autographed specialty jerseys available at the Jersey Auction Booth." Stockton King' Mason Jones encourages his teammates during game 2 of the NBA G League final against the Osceola Magic at the Adventist Health Arena in downtown Stockton on Apr. 11, 2025. The Kings won 144 to 126. The Stockton Kings, the affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, made franchise history as first-time NBA G League champions when they defeated the Osceola Magic 118-110 on Monday, April 14, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. Stockton Kings guard Mason Jones was also named the 2025 NBA G League Finals MVP. Stockton Kings Game 3 Finals stats: Forward Dexter Dennis: 23 points, 6 rebounds Forward Terry Taylor: 22 points, 12 rebounds Forward Isaac Jones: 21 points, 13 rebounds Guard Mason Jones: 19 points, 13 assists Center Skal Labissière: 12 points, 7 rebounds Guard Jon Elmore: 11 points Forward Isaiah Crawford: 6 points Guard Chasson Randle: 4 points Stockton Kings mascot Dunkston motivates fans during the Kings during game 2 of the NBA G League final against the Osceola Magic at the Adventist Health Arena in downtown Stockton on Apr. 11, 2025. The Kings won 144 to 126. 'Stockton Kings Party' Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi called on the community through a Facebook reel to support and cheer on the Stockton Kings on Saturday. Advertisement "Stockton Kings PARTY is coming this Saturday, April 19th, at the Arena," Fugazi wrote on the post. "Everyone needs to come out to celebrate our team bringing home the championship trophy. So bring whatever Kings' swag you might have, and let's line Fremont St to the Arena!!!" Fans can look forward to appearances by Stockton Kings Head Coach Quinton Crawford and the Stockton Kings players on Saturday, the news release states. Those attending can also look forward to entertainment by Stockton Kings mascot Dunkson, DJ Kenzo and the Kings Breakers. Doors will open at noon for the event. There will be free parking in the Arena Garage. Stockton Kings fans can receive complimentary tickets by visiting Advertisement To learn more about the Stockton Kings, visit Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@ or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. To support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton Kings to celebrate NBA G League championship win in Stockton
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mac McClung makes Slam Dunk contest history during All-Star weekend
It was another action packed Saturday night of the NBA All-Star weekend with history being made, a slam dunk masterclass, and a controversial disqualification all taking place in San Francisco. Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung made All-Star history by becoming the first person to win the Slam Dunk contest three years in a row. Not only did McClung secure the win but he won the contest with a perfect score, receiving maximum 50 points in each round on a night of flawless dunking. The 26-year-old set the tone for the event with his very first dunk – and in spectacular fashion. A car drove onto the court and reversed towards the basket, giving some indication of what was about to unfold. McClung then proceeded to jump over both a volunteer and the car, picking the ball out the volunteer's hands, before still managing to emphatically reverse dunk the ball. The difficulty factor didn't lessen throughout the rest of McClung's attempts and the guard wowed the judges and fans on his third attempt where he managed to dunk two balls at once. 'I feel like an imposter,' McClung told CNN Sport's Andy Scholes after his win. 'This doesn't happen without all the help of my friends, people were letting me use their cars to try to jump over them.' McClung explained that his love for dunking is what fuels his creativity and success in the contest. 'I think when you love something and that's your action, then you can kind of be better at it than you usually would.' While McClung's perfect score across all four rounds proved to be unassailable, San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle kept the pressure on with a display of high-class dunking. Castle finished in second and only 0.4 points behind McClung with his score of 99.6 across the final two rounds. Milwaukee Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. finished in third with Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis ending up in fourth place. While All-Star weekend is full of thrills, it rarely contains any controversy. That was until Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were disqualified from the skills challenge. In an attempt to set the fastest time in the event, the San Antonio Spurs duo thought they had come up with a masterplan. Rather than shoot the ball at the allotted stations, Wembanyama and Paul quickly threw the balls away as fast as they could to minimize their time spent shooting. While the tactic seemed to be working, the pair were eventually disqualified for not taking valid shots. 'We tried a strategy that we thought could win,' Paul told reporters after the disqualification. The veteran guard added that the officials didn't say anything when Wembanyama asked them about the tactic prior to the event. Elsewhere, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro won the three-point contest with a score of 24 in the final round. Herro defeated the Golden State Warriors' Buddy Hield and Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland in the final round of the event. Damian Lillard failed in his attempt to win the contest three years in a row and was eliminated after round one with a score of 18 points.
New York Times
16-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Mac McClung proves the NBA Slam Dunk Contest doesn't need stars, just passionate showmen
SAN FRANCISCO — The NBA Slam Dunk Contest contest needs to be saved. It needs the game's stars to participate. How many times have you heard or read that? Saturday night showed it's not about the stars. It's about having players who care about the contest. Mac McClung is not a star. He's played in five NBA games, and most of his work has been in the G League. But the 6-foot-2 guard is passionate about the dunk contest, and that showed once again after he won his third straight competition Saturday. McClung is the first to win three straight and joins Nate Robinson as the only three-time winner. GO DEEPER Mac McClung flashes perfect score to win third straight NBA dunk contest McClung admitted going into Saturday 'thinking about hanging it up' after this weekend, 'but I never want to say never.' If McClung is done, what becomes of the contest? It's not about finding a star to enter the contest. It's about finding players with a passion for showmanship and dunking to keep the excitement. Advertisement The Chase Center crowd was with McClung, the reigning G League MVP for the Osceola Magic. And if someone else steps up with impressive dunks, they will woo the crowd, too. 'When you feel like the crowd has your back, that gives you a different level of adrenaline, maybe confidence,' McClung said. 'It was great, it felt really good. And the judges gave me some good scores, so that got me feeling good. I really do like to play off the crowd.' McClung is not a household name during the NBA regular season, but All-Star Saturday belonged to him — and has belonged to him since 2023. The crowd was behind him and NBA All-Stars watched his every move as he racked up perfect scores of 50 for each of his four dunks to further cement his dunking legacy. McClung won as the NBA celebrated Vince Carter's epic performance in the contest 25 years ago for All-Star Saturday Night in Oakland, Calif. Carter is considered one of the best dunkers of all time, his legacy cemented in 2000 and also with plenty of highlight-worthy, in-game dunks throughout his 22-year NBA career. GO DEEPER 'I wanted to go out there and give you a show': Vince Carter's 2000 NBA dunk contest masterpiece 'I genuinely love this contest, and I love to dunk,' McClung said. 'I'm not really comparing myself to anybody or trying to put a value on my name, so we'll just let the world and the people that love dunking judge that.' McClung might not be back next year. So what happens with the contest? Will fans and media clamor for stars like Ja Morant to step up? Morant posted on X during the contest that McClung's dunks might urge him to one day participate. Minutes later, Giannis Antetokounmpo said he'd join Morant in the competition if Morant followed through. If you do it. I'll do it with you 💯 — Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) February 16, 2025 But it doesn't have to be Morant, Antetokounmpo or any other star player to participate to bring additional excitement to the game. It just has to be players who are passionate about the art of dunking and performing on a grand stage. Big names don't lead to big results if the participants aren't dedicated. McClung has shown himself committed. He captured the fans' attention with each dunk. That he's not a star shouldn't be a factor. Advertisement McClung said preparing for this contest wasn't easy. He had to practice jumping over a car, which can be taxing and dangerous. He knew he had to take his creativity to another level to pull off the win. 'This one took a lot out of me for sure,' McClung said. 'I prepared very early and put a lot of work into it.' McClung's success is a reminder that you don't have to be a star to enter the contest. But you can become one. Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine weren't superstars when they dueled in 2016. But the contest gave them visibility. If San Antonio's Stephon Castle returns to the contest next season, he could be a worthy foe for McClung after this year's narrow loss. 'I think the contest is a beautiful thing,' McClung said. 'I know people probably want bigger stars in it, and I would love to see that, but I think it's important for the people in it to want to do it. I think Steph (Castle), Matas (Buzelis), Andre (Jackson Jr.), they all really wanted to be here. … It's a special thing that I think should be really appreciated.'
New York Times
16-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Mac McClung flashes perfect score, pulling off historic third straight NBA dunk contest win
SAN FRANCISCO — He may still not be a household name, nor is he really an NBA player, but Mac McClung can now say he is the greatest dunk champion in league history. McClung, 26, who plays for the Osceola Magic in the NBA G League and played in just one game for the Orlando Magic this season, became the first player in dunk contest history to win the event three years in a row — pulling off a perfect score of 200 with four dunks not quite seen before and beat San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle in an entertaining final round to finish off All-Star Saturday night at the Chase Center. Advertisement McClung jumped over a car. And Evan Mobley. He contorted his body in strange ways while already in mid-air, and dunked two balls at the same time when he began the attempt with his hands empty. So you can say the field was lighter compared to past dunk contests, but in the first such event in the Bay Area since Vince Carter's historically grand performance in Oakland, in 2000, McClung was by far the best dunker on the court and will be remembered forever for what he did at the Chase Center, and for being able to win three years running. Only Nate Robinson had won three dunk contests before McClung, but Robinson's wins were not consecutive. McClung's night began with him taking the court to 'Return of the Mac,' an appropriate title given his name and prowess as repeat champion. For his first dunk, organizers backed a Kia sedan onto the court and parked it in front of the basket. Yes, dunkers have jumped over cars before (Blake Griffin in 2011), but McClung not only jumped over the car — he also pulled the ball off of a friend's head, who was standing through the sun roof. MAC MCCLUNG ARE YOU KIDDING ⁉️🤯@Kia | #KiaK5 — NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2025 For McClung's second dunk of the first round, he jumped over the same friend and again took the ball off of his head to do it, but this time turned nearly 180 degrees toward the rim after his back was already facing the basket. To begin the final round, McClung's friend spun on a hoverboard while another man climbed a ladder parked next to the basket. With a running start, McClung timed his jump to not only clear his friend, but again lift the ball off of his head, and then as he was ready to dunk it, he knocked the ball out of the hand of the man on the ladder into the hoop, for dunks of two balls on the same turn. Advertisement Castle, MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge on All-Star Friday, made it interesting with a 50 on his last dunk — a 360 in which he moved the ball behind his back and dunked left handed — giving himself a score of 99.6. There wasn't much margin for McClung to play with, and he pushed the limit by soaring over the Cavs' Evan Mobley, who is not only 6-11, but was standing on a box that was at least a few inches tall. Stephon Castle GLIDES in for the 360 Behind-The-Back 😱#ATTSlamDunk — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2025 Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis and Bucks second-year man Andre Jackson didn't get out of the first round. Buzelis failed to convert his first dunk all together (each player had three attempts per turn) and Jackson was plagued by misses before converting on simplified versions of his dunks. Tyler Hero, a first-time All-Star who is currently tied for fourth in 3s this season, unseated Damian Lillard as 3-point champion by narrowly escaping round one (by one point, over Lillard) and then finishing with a final-round tally of 24 points — beating hometown favorite Buddy Hield, of the Warriors, by a point. Herro had the most 3s this season of anyone in the eight-man field. Most shots in the 3-point contest were worth one point, money balls were worth two points and two shots were worth three points. Hield took the opening round with a score of 31, and had a chance to catch Herro if he had made the entire rack of money balls in the championship round. Hield connected on the first three but missed his fourth shot, dooming him to finish one point behind Herro. 'I was definitely nervous going into the first round. But I thought I shot it pretty well in the second round, and then Buddy had the chance to tie it at the end, ' Herro said. 'Obviously a great competition, a bunch of great shooters. … Also, it felt cold in the arena the first time I went. For the second time, I felt more loose going right away.' Advertisement Cleveland's Darius Garland also advanced to the final round. He wore a No. 22 Cavs jersey (his number is 10), to honor his father, Winston, who wore 22 when he played for the Golden State Warriors in 1990. Lillard, who was not only the two-time defending 3-point shootout champion, but is also from nearby Oakland, didn't get out of the first round. Had Lillard won again, he would have joined 18 Larry Bird (1986-88) and Craig Hodges (1990-92) as the only players to win three consecutive 3-point shootouts. The Cavaliers' duo of Donovan Mitchell and Mobley, both All-Stars, won the annual skills challenge, emerging victorious in individual rounds of an obstacle course, passing contest and shooting competition over the host-Warriors' Draymond Green and Moses Moody. To the extent that there is any interest or intrigue in the skills challenge — which is always the first of the Saturday events and has been tweaked several times — the Spurs' team of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama proved it. They were actually disqualified — kicked out, booted, canceled, if you will — for deliberately throwing up shots quickly to save time during the first round. 'If they weren't disqualified, I think we probably would have just did the same thing to be honest with you,' Mitchell said. 'Play to win, I guess.' 'I feel like my first round I tried to do a similar thing but made it look like a real shot, but that didn't work really well, so I switched up my strategy,' Mobley added. This story will be updated.
USA Today
15-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2025 lineup: Players, judges, format, rules and tiebreakers
Although the NBA Slam Dunk Contest isn't what it used to be, it's still fun to tune in and watch the players come up with creative ways to emphatically throw it down in front of judges, their fellow NBA stars and the crowd. In 2025? We've got four participants that include the defending champ twice over — yes, a G League player is the current dunk king! — along with a pair of very intriguing rookies and a second-year player. Here's a look at the entire list of participants, the judges, and the format and rules so you know how it's all going to go down: Who's participating in the 2025 NBA Dunk Contest? Mac McClung, Osceola Magic of the G League Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls Who are the Slam Dunk Contest judges? Kevin Garnett Tracy McGrady Baron Davis Jason Richardson Fans will get a vote via the NBA app and Jesser will reveal their score What are the rules and format for the 2025 NBA Dunk Contest? What's the tiebreaker? In the first round, players will get two dunk attempts and the highest composite score wins. If there's a tie, per the NBA: 'Jesser will provide a tie-breaking pick on behalf of the NBA ID community.' The top two dunkers move on. Each player will complete their two dunks. The best dunk score wins. The dunkers will have a minute and 30 seconds and three attempts total. What time is the 2025 NBA Dunk Contest? All-Star Saturday starts at 8 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco. What channel is the 2025 NBA Dunk contest on? It's on TNT and truTV. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. FTW operates independently, though, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
