All news pertinent to the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League

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Matt Murphy

Here are some fast facts about Mac McClung, who just signed with the 76ers and is set to participate in this year’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest:

“A nice caesar salad,” the right-handed shooting McClung penned with his left hand on a preseason questionnaire.

This season, the Gate City, Virginia native with 821K Instagram followers continued to turn heads as a member of the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ G League affiliate.

McClung’s name appeared all over the monthly individual leaderboards (top-20 in the G League) for his play in January: points per game (21.2), assists per game (5.7), field goal percentage (.583), 3-point field goal percentage (.488), and free-throw percentage (.885).

The 6-foot-2 McClung made his NBA debut for the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 29, 2021. He later suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers in their season finale at Denver last April, a game in which he threw down one of his patented double-clutch, reverse dunks in transition.

NBA All-Star Weekend is his next stage – a big one at that – and it will undoubtedly be a busy weekend in Salt Lake City for the bouncy 24-year-old.

McClung was named to the NBA’s Jordan Rising Stars Game set to be played Friday and then, of course, he’s got the Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night. Not to mention that the top G League players, including McClung, were voted into the NBA G League Next Up Game slated for Sunday afternoon.

But if anyone is accustomed to being in the spotlight, it’s Mac McClung.

We’re talking about the 2021-22 NBA G League Rookie of the Year with the South Bay Lakers, who excelled as a member of the Golden State Warriors during the 2022 NBA Summer League and preseason.

“I think we were interested in a more pass-first point guard,” Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr said in the fall. “Letting Mac go was tough. I love Mac, and I think he’s an NBA player.”

"You know, I think sometimes I forget people are paying attention to what I do,” McClung said in December. “I think I'm just in my own mode. It's funny, I noticed when I got cut from the Warriors, I just expected it to be the same thing – a couple of hate messages and all that – but it was so overwhelming, the support. You're right there. Don't quit. I'm like you've been paying attention to all of this? I watched this G League game, this G League season. I'm like oh my goodness, people are following me, that's incredible.”

McClung played collegiately at Georgetown and then Texas Tech, where he received 2020-21 All-Big 12 Second Team honors.

Patrick Mahomes, Ja Morant, and Donovan Mitchell were among the many tweeters calling out to McClung when he entered the transfer portal and ultimately chose Mahomes’ old stomping grounds.

He was a star player at Gate City High School, where he became the all-time leading scorer in Virginia High School League history and broke Allen Iverson’s Virginia single-season scoring record five years ago this month. McClung scored 2,801 points in his prep career – 1,153 as a senior.

McClung dropped 47 points to lead Gate City to the Class 2A state title, breaking JJ Redick’s state championship scoring record of 43 set in 2002.

Sort your YouTube search results for Mac McClung by view count and you will find 22 different videos with at least one million views.

The second-most popular video has been watched 3.5 million times on the “Ballislife” channel and features the blonde-haired McClung at their All-American dunk contest in 2018.

Fast forward five years and it’s 10 minutes from tipoff at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Coats are hosting the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, in an afternoon contest on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania tweeted about McClung’s dunk-contest participation three days prior and the news continued to make waves, amassing nearly 8 million views and 24.5K likes.

In between his must-see layup line moments, McClung relayed to the Blue Coats TV crew that he’s been in three official dunk contests to date and won two of them.

McClung even developed a dunk contest rivalry with now-Houston Rocket Kevin Porter Jr. a few years back. It was Porter Jr. who was crowned champion at the Iverson Classic in April 2018 at Souderton Area High School in the Philadelphia suburbs.

The Answer, himself, was one of the judges. Porter Jr. dunked over the Hall of Famer, McClung completed a between-the-legs reverse in an Iverson Georgetown jersey.

One month later, McClung’s revenge over Porter Jr. in a west coast event turned into the aforementioned viral upload with 3.5 million views.

Back to this year’s MLK Day game as a Blue Coat — minutes after reminiscing on those moments — McClung hurried out on the fast break and replicated the double-clutch reverse that he once pulled off in a Lakers uniform.

Two of his game-high 40 points for Delaware.

“Dunk contest?” McClung said with a perplexed look postgame when asked about Charania’s report.

"Nah, I'm just messing,” he said, immediately flipping to a smile. “I'm really excited… A lot of people deserve that light, and I appreciate that they're giving it to me. I'll try to make the most of it."

“All the best players in the league or guys I like were in the dunk contest,” the thirteen-time NBA All-Star recently said on “The ETCs” podcast. “No disrespect to the guys that are in there now. Shaedon Sharpe is going to put on a show. Who else is in it?” (Note: Sharpe is no longer in the field).

“Mac McClung, which is – that’s crazy they’re doing that. Out of the G League. No shade, but come on, what are we doing?”

“And Mac is an outstanding athlete. But what are we doing? It used to be sacred to be part of All-Star Weekend.”

Mac McClung from Gate City is back in the NBA and very much a part of All-Star Weekend.

Listed below his favorite TV show, music, movie, and food this past preseason, there was another question and answer.

If we made a movie about your life, what is your story about?

A complicated, yet fascinating, underdog story at that.

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Who Is Mac McClung? Meet the Newest 76er and 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Participant

Lauren Rosen

The 76ers (4-5) will seek their fourth win in five games Friday, hosting the New York Knicks (3-4).It’s a bounce-back opportunity for the Sixers, after falling to the Wizards, 121-111, Wednesday, in the opener of a three-game homestand.The team was significantly shorthanded Wednesday, absent Joel Embiid (non-COVID illness) and De’Anthony Melton (left low back stiffness).“Missing De’Anthony hurts, missing Joel hurts, but that’s no excuse - we’ve got to be better,” Georges Niang said postgame. “This is a process of us learning and growing. It’s game nine, and we have some learning and growing to do.”Tyrese Maxey - who will be celebrating his 22nd birthday Friday - notched his third 30-plus point performance of the season Wednesday.&nbsp;The third-year 76er is averaging a career-high 24.2 points per game this season (19th in the NBA), shooting a career-best 51.6% from the field and a career-best 46.8% from 3-point range.Maxey is seventh in the NBA in total points scored thus far this season (218 points).“You just watch the film, see how you can be better defensively - just trying to stay aggressive and help us win as much as possible,” Maxey said postgame. “I still have to watch the film and figure it all out.”The Sixers’ three-game homestand closes Monday, hosting the Phoenix Suns (6-1). The team then travels to Atlanta to open a home-and-home with the Hawks (5-3) Thursday.Joel Embiid (non-COVID illness) and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle sprain) are questionable Friday, while James Harden (right foot tendon strain) is out.Friday’s matchup tips at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Wednesday’s Key Performers:Tyrese Maxey

Opponent Outlook:The Knicks (3-4) have dropped their last three games, most recently falling to the Hawks, 112-99, Wednesday in New York.Jalen Brunson was the Knicks’ leading scorer Friday, finishing with 20 points and five assists. RJ Barrett added 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists.Friday’s game marks the first of four between the Sixers and Knicks this season, the next of which will be played on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden.

Quote to Note:Tyrese Maxey on his growing range from 3-point territory:“I worked on it a lot this summer, because I knew that shooting catch and shoot threes last year, defenses are going to try to be there and arrive on the catch. If I could extend them a little bit further, I get opportunities to drive and kick it to my teammates, or finish at the rim for myself. That being a weapon is better for us as a team I think.”

Follow Along:Watch: NBC Sports PhiladelphiaListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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76ers Set for First Meeting with Knicks | Gameday Report 10/82

76er P.J. Tucker was once a 14er.At the onset of what has evolved into a more than decade-long NBA career, Tucker was a member of the NBA Development League’s Colorado 14ers. The year was 2007. Since then, a great number of NBA players have honed their skills at the very same level, including the majority of Tucker’s current teammates.The NBA Development League, or D-League, was then what we now know as the NBA G League (PSA: There’s no hyphen anymore).The 2022-23 Philadelphia 76ers’ roster includes 10 players with G League experience, ranging from the 37-year-old Tucker to Jaden Springer and Michael Foster Jr., who are not yet 21.Overall, a record 234 players, making up a record 47-percent of opening night NBA rosters, have G League experience.“That’s impressive, to be honest,” said Foster Jr., who last season made the notable jump from high school to the G League as a member of NBA G League Ignite — a-first-of-its-kind team dedicated to developing top young prospects in preparation for the NBA Draft. “It shows you that the [NBA] really wants guys to succeed. You’ve got a lower level that develops you for the next, where guys on the floor are All-Stars, superstars, Hall of Famers. I didn’t know that [number]. That’s actually impressive, for sure.”Foster Jr. weathered a stretch during his rookie professional season in which his G League matchups included the likes of NBA veterans Serge Ibaka and Greg Monroe, as well as his current Sixers teammate Paul Reed.

So what does Reed, the 2021 G League MVP with the Delaware Blue Coats, think about that 234 number?“That just means the G League is really producing athletes — basketball players — that’s like that,” Reed said. “If you’re going down to the G League, you should look at it as a great opportunity to get better because you’re going to be playing against guys that are really in the NBA.”76ers wing Georges Niang, a 50-game G League veteran, theorized that the ability for young players to learn what works – and what’s needed –&nbsp; strongly factors into the growing number of alums.Basketball potential meets opportunity all over North America, in markets stretching from Wilmington, Delaware to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Santa Cruz, California (Niang raves about the beaches there), and more recently, Mexico City.Both Reed and Niang were once on Two-Way Contracts, directly connected to an NBA team as a member of the roster and able to showcase their skills with any available practice or game reps.Beginning in the 2017 offseason, NBA rosters expanded from 15 to 17 players with the addition of two spots for players under those two-way contracts. A two-way contract allows for an NBA-rostered player to also play for their organization’s G League affiliate.The Sixers converted Foster Jr.’s contract to a two-way deal on October 16.

Coaches’ PerspectiveAwesome. Fantastic. Significant.These are words used by 76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers and San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich to describe the current state of the NBA G League.Last season, Popovich became the all-time wins leader in NBA history.The two coaches boasted a combined 2,396 NBA victories through October 2022.“I think it’s awesome,” said Rivers, who eclipsed 1,000 career wins last fall. “I think the G League is fantastic. The fact that, when I first started, there was the CBA. We had a team in Michigan when I was in Orlando. I think at one time we had three [NBA] teams with one [D-League] team. Now, you can build stuff. And it’s not just the players. It’s also coaching, it’s staffing, it’s PR – it’s everything. I think the G League has been absolutely fantastic.”“It’s been very significant in a lot of people’s lives,” Popovich said of the G League.“We’ve had a lot of players go through there, play for us, move on to other teams, and I think that’s the case with a lot of the teams in the NBA. The G League has been very important in that development. We take it very seriously… It's a great way to have extra time with people that you think may matriculate later into a situation where they can help you. For them, it’s great. You can’t keep everybody. Development-wise, I think the people in the G League are doing a great job of advancing careers.”

Look no further than Niang and Reed.“I mean, it’s the reason why I’m back in the NBA,” the 29-year-old Niang said. “I got cut by Indiana and I wasn’t able to figure out what would get me on the court. The G League showed me that if I could space the floor, shoot, and use my IQ, that I could find a way to play in the NBA.”“I feel like without me being able to showcase my talents and what I can do, I probably wouldn’t be here today,” Reed said. “You know, there’s no telling. It gave me an opportunity to go out there, get some reps, and let the team know that I can actually hoop a little bit.”

Cold Maybe, But Not SweetThe 19 games that P.J. Tucker played for the Colorado 14ers – now the Texas Legends – in 2007 were likely much different than the 19 games played by Jaden Springer for the Blue Coats during his rookie season one year ago.Danuel House Jr. and Georges Niang played 60 games and 50 games, respectively, in the G League from 2016-19. That qualifies as the most such experience among the current Sixers. Their teammates with a shared résumé section include: Shake Milton (33 games), Paul Reed (24), Springer (19), Tucker (19), Michael Foster Jr. (13), Montrezl Harrell (12), Furkan Korkmaz (nine), and De’Anthony Melton (eight).

Ironically, House Jr. suited up for Delaware before they were the Blue Coats.“Cold. It was so cold,” House Jr. said with a laugh while reflecting on his handful of games at the University of Delaware in 2017. “It was cold, man. I felt like they ain’t want to turn the heat on for us, you know, being at the G League level. But hey, it was a fun time. I had really good teammates. I had a really good experience.”The Blue Coats, previously called the 87ers, moved into the state-of-the-art Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington two years after Danuel was in the house.With the advent of two-way contracts, as well as NBA players being assigned to their affiliate teams much more frequently, the level of competition has skyrocketed.&nbsp;Take it from Foster Jr., who joined the G League Ignite team as a five-star recruit and one of the top-10 high school players in the Class of 2021:“It’s not sweet down there… Man, those guys were probably one of them guys on their high school team that gave you 40, every night. It ain’t sweet. I don’t want people thinking that. It’s not easy.”Years prior, future NBA All-Stars Khris Middleton and Rudy Gobert famously played there – as a Fort Wayne Mad Ant and a Bakersfield Jam(mer?).Pascal Siakam, now an All-NBA player with the Toronto Raptors, was the 2017 NBA D-League Finals MVP.Then vs. NowFormer first-round pick Tyrese Maxey is not one of the 10 Sixers with G League experience.Neither is Tobias Harris, 30, who was just 18 years old when Milwaukee drafted him in 2011. A coach there brought up the possibility, but it never came to fruition.It was also, as Harris explains, a much different time.“The G League has transformed and it’s good to see the progress of young players,” Harris said. “I know when I was a rookie, it was kind of like a demotion if you went to the D-League, you know what I’m saying? When I was a rookie, I was like ‘Man, I’m not trying to go to the D-League.’ Vets used to be like ‘Yo rookie, don’t let them send you to the D-League.’ And I was like ‘Man, I hope they don’t.’ It was one of those things.”But now?

“But now it’s beneficial for young guys to go there, play, have a system and whatnot,” Harris added. “I think it’s cool now. But years ago, there were not many guys going. Like, if you saw guys go, especially top picks, it was kind of like –&nbsp; It wasn’t as attractive as it is now to go to hoop, to play.”

Two of Harris’ brothers, Tyler and Terry, were G League players in recent seasons.

“Playing through my mistakes was the biggest thing for me,” Georges Niang said. “I was able to get down there, get a feel for what the game was, the help schemes and different things like that, but also have the ball in my hands and see what roles different guys can play. It was just a huge learning experience for me. I think every player that doesn’t come in as a superstar should experience the G League, even when it comes down to the travel and all the stuff that’s really humbling.”Having overheard Niang’s G League tales from a nearby locker, the ever-supportive Maxey called out to his teammate.“Yo, you were dope.”NBA G League success stories are dope, indeed, and there are more than ever before.Two-hundred and thirty-four, to be exact.The 2022-23 NBA G League season tips off on Friday, Nov. 4.Visit the Delaware Blue Coats Schedule page to see all upcoming games.

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Call-Ups, Two-Way Contracts, and more: How the NBA G League Helped Advance the Careers of Numerous Sixers and their Peers

76ers PR

TEAM’S ANNUAL OPEN PRACTICE EVENT RETURNS TO WILMINGTON AND CHASE FIELDHOUSE, HOME OF THE DELAWARE BLUE COATS LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS AVAILABLE STARTING THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 AT 3 P.M.DELAWARE BLUE COATS SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW, STARTING AT $12 PER GAME AHEAD OF HOME OPENER ON NOV. 10

PHILADELPHIA – SEPT. 28, 2022 – The Philadelphia 76ers announced today details for the 2022 Blue x White Scrimmage, presented by Ticketmaster, which is set for Saturday, Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. at Chase Fieldhouse, the home of the Delaware Blue Coats, the team’s NBA G League affiliate.

The free, open-practice style event will feature Head Coach Doc Rivers and the 2022-23 76ers, as the team continues its preparation for the coming season, which tips off on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. against the Celtics in Boston. Also on hand will be 76ers ENT, 76ers mascot Franklin, Blue Coats mascot Coaty, as well as DJs Ghost and Catz, providing entertainment throughout the family-friendly event.

Fans interested in securing free tickets, which will be available on a limited basis, should sign up for the SixthMan Newsletter at Sixers.com/sixthman. Tickets will be available to the general public at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29 via a special link and promo code sent to SixthMan Newsletter subscribers.

Beginning at 10:45 a.m., early door entry and Fan Fest will be open for all ticketed guests before the Chase Fieldhouse doors open at 11:15 a.m.

The Blue Coats home opener is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. against Capital City Go-Go at Chase Fieldhouse. Season tickets are on sale now and start at just $12 a seat per game. A limited number of VIP seats, including courtside and premium locations inclusive of complimentary food and beverage, are currently available. The Blue Coats are also accepting deposits for group outings, including reservations for the Wilmington Brew Works Beer Garden and Courtside Lounge. Details on tickets can be found at SIXERS.COM/BlueCoats. Contact the Blue Coats Ticket Sales and Service team at BlueCoatsTickets@76ers.com and 302-504-7587. The team is coming off a decorated 2021-22 campaign, which included a second consecutive

trip to the NBA G League Finals, the Showcase Cup Championship, an Eastern Conference title and a franchise-record nine NBA Call-Ups.

ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS:The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most storied franchises in the National Basketball Association, having won three World Championships, earning nine trips to The Finals and making 52 playoff appearances over 73 seasons. The Philadelphia 76ers organization is a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment property.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE BLUE COATS:The Delaware Blue Coats are the official NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. The team plays its home games at the all-new Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware. For ticket information, visit SIXERS.COM/BLUECOATS. The Delaware Blue Coats organization is a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment property.

ABOUT TICKETMASTER:Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket marketplace and the global market leader in live event ticketing products and services. Through official partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports teams, festivals, performing arts centers and theaters, Ticketmaster processes 500 million tickets per year across 30+ different countries. Ticketmaster is a part of Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV).

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PHILADELPHIA 76ERS ANNOUNCE DETAILS FOR 2022 BLUE X WHITE SCRIMMAGE, PRESENTED BY TICKETMASTER

Local kid who grew up going to 76ers games goes on to make the team and inspire the city.

"It's a blessing to be home and doing what I love to do at the highest level,” said Northeast Philly native and Saint Joseph’s University product Charlie Brown Jr. of his then-10-day contract experience with the Sixers.

On Jan. 11, Brown Jr. inked a two-way contract with the Sixers, solidifying his roster spot.

A 76ers two-way player is also eligible to provide services to the team’s NBA G League affiliate – the Delaware Blue Coats.

As it happens, Brown Jr. played 11 games with the Blue Coats earlier this season. In those 11 contests (all starts), he averaged 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 30.0 minutes per game. The third-year pro, not yet on an NBA contract at the time, was a regular starter for a group with an irregular starting lineup.

"It's the most fun league to coach in, because you really get to coach,” said Blue Coats head coach Coby Karl of the G League during Sixers training camp. “And then it's the most difficult, because players are popping in and out. It really makes you be present. You can't really get ahead of yourself. You really have to teach on a daily basis. It's going to change. It's really helped me in my life and in my career to stay present and not get ahead of myself.”

Demarcus Holland is a Blue Coats guard who previously played for Karl with the South Bay Lakers. The 27-year-old Holland knows the G League is about development, yes, but also adaptability:

"I think people need to give credit to players who are able to adapt,” Holland said during a preseason conversation in early November. “There are so many changes throughout a G League season.”

This year, even the schedule was different.

A new G League format this season began with each team playing 12 games to determine seeding for the $100K, winner-takes-all NBA G League Winter Showcase Cup in Las Vegas. The Blue Coats earned the top seed with an 11-1 start.

Including the three wins in tournament play needed to capture the title, Delaware utilized 12 different starting lineups in 15 games. They were crowned Winter Showcase Cup champions.

"When I met Prosper [Karangwa], our general manager, we talked about how the model for us in the G League is 'Be Water,' Karl said during the championship celebration. “And, to us, that's adaptability, meeting the moment, figuring it out. These guys have done it. They've been practicing it. Everyone in the lineup steps up. Different positions, different matchups, different opportunities versus really good opponents. That's what it's been for us."

Prior to the Sixers, the Dallas Mavericks signed Brown Jr. to a 10-day contract on Dec. 21. The deal became official with the Blue Coats still needing two victories in Vegas.

So how did it feel when they got the job done?

"It felt good. We came here to handle business,” said Showcase Cup MVP Jarron Cumberland, smiling and surrounded by teammates and staff.

Cumberland did not start a single game during the seeding portion of the schedule. Three days after the Blue Coats championship, on Christmas Day, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.  The 24-year-old Cumberland became the second of what is now a single season franchise-record five Blue Coats to earn NBA call-ups during the 2021-22 season (Note: Delaware has 25 total GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA in nine seasons).

Shaquille Harrison preceded Cumberland. Then Haywood Highsmith landed a deal. The Sixers went on to bring in Brown Jr. and Braxton Key.

It was early October, some 20 days before Charlie Brown Jr. even became a Blue Coat. Coby Karl addressed the media for the first time as a member of the 76ers organization. Part of the coach’s message was simple:

That mission - a mission already accomplished - continues as the Blue Coats forge ahead, and the NBA G League regular season takes shape.

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Charlie Brown Jr. to Sixers is Latest of Blue Coats Success Stories

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