Big 12 Players Shine at 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend
The Big 12 put on a show in the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, with Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton tying the NBA record in the 3-point shootout contest, and Texas Tech’s Mac McClung winning the dunk contest.
The superstar of the weekend came in the form of McClung, after the former Red Raider put up three straight 50-point dunks to be crowned the NBA slam dunk champion.
McClung threw down a head-turning, 720-degree dunk that fans have been sharing on Twitter relentlessly since the G-league product debuted it. While McClung’s dunks certainly became the headline for All-Star Weekend, McClung has been throwing down dunks of this caliber since his early high-school days.
Joining McClung with a standout performance was Haliburton. The Iowa State Cyclone turned Indiana Pacer could not miss in the 3-point shootout, resulting in an NBA record 31 points. Previously, the record had been held by Stephen Curry, who also scored 31 points. And anytime you find yourself in conversations with someone who many regard as the greatest shooter of all time, you must be doing something right.
Haliburton started off incredible in the first round but ultimately couldn’t get it done in the later rounds. Winning the contest was Portland Trailblazer, and literal trailblazer, Damian Lillard, who beat out both participants from the Big 12 Conference in Haliburton and former Oklahoma star Buddy Hield.
The Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball, and seeing former conference members thrive on one of the NBA’s biggest stages is something that all fans love to see.
