Shaquille O’Neal often gets called out for not knowing NBA players other than the biggest superstars in the league. His recent comments about Rui Hachimura landed him in hot water, and that’s not the first time this has happened. But Shaq cares about the players in the league regardless of status, as he showed during the All-Star Weekend.
Many people doubted Mac McClung and his participation in the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest when the list of competing players was announced. McClung was in the G League then, which was seen as another sign of how far the Contest had fallen. But he shocked everyone when he came in with supreme confidence, executed some incredible dunks, and comfortably won the whole thing.
Shaquille O’Neal may have played a role in that too. He’s been called a casual for not knowing Rui Hachimura and then panned for his apology after he got his name wrong again. But O’Neal believed in McClung when perhaps not many others did, as was evident from his comments to Mac before the contest took place.
Shaquille O’Neal Told Mac McClung To Ensure That People Remember His Name After The Dunk Contest
It’s not rude to suggest that the average NBA fan didn’t know who Mac McClung is before the Slam Dunk Contest. He was on the Los Angeles Lakers for a bit but couldn’t crack a notoriously poor roster, meaning the few that knew about him also likely lost interest. But winning the Dunk Contest could change all that and Shaq knew it, so that’s exactly what he told McClung to do.
“Stay right there. This is where you steal the show. Nobody knows your name, make them remember your name. And don’t miss a dunk. Alright, good luck, brother. Big fan of yours.”
Coming from one of the greatest ever to do it and one of the most prolific dunkers the NBA has ever seen, this will have meant the world to McClung. Shaquille O’Neal knows how to win the hearts and minds of people and inspire them, which is exactly what he did for McClung. And Mac responded in an ideal fashion, doing exactly what Shaquille O’Neal challenged him to do. There are not many NBA fans that don’t know who Mac McClung is anymore.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
