 Matt McClellan fades the dunk culture. I'm too flat. Get upstairs. Get on my level. Oh, he is back. Of course, he's the Slam Dunk champion from last year. Play for the Bulls Lakers, Sixers, 2023 G-League champion, and right now, by the way, Mac, G-League player of the month. So what's the deal? When do we expect you back on an NBA floor? Talk to us. Yeah, I mean, I don't have the answer to that. That's all in other people's hands, but you know, all I'm doing right now is just staying ready and just making sure I'm prepared when that moment comes. Stay ready. Be ready. Mac, you had a stint with the Lakers a few years ago. What was it like being around LeBron? What was it like being on the Lakers and just, you know, being on the team like that? Yeah, I mean, it was my first year. So it was, you know, being a kid from Gate City, Virginia, it was like I was in a video game or something, hearing them talk in a meeting for the first time. So I think it was really cool for me to kind of just grow up and see what it takes. Like a guy that's the best in the league, you know, in the film room for however long he is, in the first one in the gym, like, it was like, man, this is what it is. Like there's no, this didn't just happen. So that was really big for me to kind of see also guys like Rondo and other vets like Carmelo, just how they kind of took their day to day. It was really cool for me. LeBron's also called you one of the greatest dunkers ever. So line me up here, you against LeBron or dunk contest or you and LeBron facing off. How does that look like? Man, first, that's a big honor. I'll tell my kids about that one day for sure. But yeah, I'll probably say like, you talking about right now LeBron or like crime? Man, we're just talking about scary, same. Either way, we're talking about scary, same. Either way, I'm taking you, bro. I don't know. I don't know. I think young LeBron maybe has it, but right now I think I could probably get it. He's a humble guy, man. You also played last year with a little stint with Philly. What was your favorite part about that? Did you ever get some run with the big fella, Joel? How was that experience? Not much really. I think I got my first NBA game where I got over like 25 minutes and it was like, it was probably just the best game I've had in my career. And it was just like, once you get a little taste of the NBA, you just want more. And I was like, they gave me a lot of confidence in that game. I had a decent game, so it kind of gave me confidence that, hey, I can make an impact. Yeah, and also the last game against Brooklyn, you had that 20 piece right there. That's not easy to do in the league. A lot of guys can't say they did that. Were you just in the zone that night? What was going on there? Yeah, that was the first game I got more than 20 minutes in the NBA. So it was just like, I got to take advantage of this and being in the G-League most of the year, it's like you're never downgrading what you're doing at the moment, but just being ready for like, hey, I'm doing this because I want to be in the NBA. Mac, I played in the G-League when it was called the D-League, the developmental league, and they were still trying to figure it out and get it off the ground. And we were going through a lot of growing pains when I played in it. What's G-League like now versus the NBA life? Yeah, I mean, it's definitely grown from the D-League. And they're doing a great job with that. I would say like, it's a grind. You know, you're going to motels, not hotels, you're doing all these things, but it's beautiful because it's like, as you know, it's a bunch of underdogs and they're all trying to make it. And there's something beautiful about being in the gym with these guys, like everybody's chasing a dream. And it's special in a way. Obviously I want to be in the NBA, but I'm definitely not proud to be in this league. Mac, you've spent some time we're on some great players. Another one, Steph Curry, 2022 Warriors training camp. What was that like spending time? Not only was Steph, you got Draymond, Clay Thompson, that team, you know, it ends up, you know, winning a championship black. What was that like? That was really cool too. I've been lucky, man, to be around some of the greatest players of all time in training camps and years in the NBA. So just seeing those guys, the biggest thing I noticed with them was just, you know, they would take their time are they to talk to me like a guy that's like on an unguaranteed contract trying to help me, which just shows like kind of, you know, their kindness and attention to every detail. Everybody in that organization was really just professional and you can, you see why people win and some organizations don't. So yeah, nothing but great things to say about them and being a part of that. I know, I know you think Steph Curry is a goat. Do you think he's the best point guard in NBA history? Yeah, I mean, it doesn't matter because there's no right answer at the end of the day. Everybody has their own opinions, but my personal opinion, I do think he is. You know what? That's all that matters. The answer is yes. If you, yeah. You think it, you think it. Look, people that may not have been familiar with you are very much familiar with you now after the slam dunk contest last year. You won the whole thing. Do you expect to be invited back? How does it work? Do they talk to you? Yeah, I'm not sure. We'll see what happens. They contacted me last year and if they do this year, I will just, we'll make a decision from there. If you do get that call back do you have some other crazy dunks up your sleeve that no one's seen yet before? Maybe a couple. I would definitely go to work on it and, you know, I'd make sure I put all the effort into come with something that hasn't been seen before. And also guys like Shaq, Reggie Miller, these legends, they're talking about how you save the dunk contest. Which you did, by the way. How does that feel hearing that? Oh, it's incredible honor. I mean, the dunk contest, I think as little kids is something I would just always just love watching. I don't know, there's something about it. It's just something so magical. And I was like, I was really in awe when I got to be a part of it. I was like confused. I was like, okay, like, yeah, I'll do it. But no, it was so cool, man. It was just like a, it was a larger-than-life moment really for me. Did you have a personal fave from any of the things you did? The dunks I did? Yeah. Definitely the first one. I was so nervous, man. I just, I was thinking God. It went in the first time. I think that's one of the biggest things you get in that first dunk you go in. I mean, I'm not being nervous to say. That is, when they miss it and they miss it, just it goes down. That's crazy. He made all his dunks too. He made all the first try. First try. I feel like you lose momentum. Like, was that big for you? Was that big for you? Like, I know I have to make it on the first try. Yeah, absolutely. I think that's, like you said, it's like deflating the miss and I'm not gonna say if I did it again, I wouldn't miss. I mean, it's like, it's partial of luck and, you know, preparation thing, but I think that momentum of getting your first dunk really is everything. Can breathe a little bit easier. In high school, you went viral many, many times for the dunks so much so that Drake, I just love saying this, slid into the DMs. What, Drake, what are you doing? But he asked for a jersey. So, A, did you send him one? And B, were you worried about the Drake curse at all by sending him anything? I wasn't aware of the Drake curse. Oh, it's bad. No. The man literally posted a picture of Otani two days before inside with the Dodgers. And he went to the Dodgers, he's cursed. But no, I didn't know about that, but yeah, no, it was cool to hear that reach out, you know? I think I was actually listening to a Drake song when he slid in my DMs and it was just a cool moment for me and my hometown boys, they're all in the car with me, so it was really cool. Okay, that's actually pretty funny. Has anybody else, famous, sort of, messaged you in any capacity that we need to know about? Chana likes to know about people's dangers. No, it doesn't have to be romance. Chana might make it awkward, but yeah, it doesn't have to be, could be about dunks, obviously. Yeah, that night, I think there was a lot of messages. I didn't even really get on too much about it. It was just, you know, there was so much going on. So, it was a bunch of players just showing a lot of, you know, showing a lot of love. Mac, I know how much you take the rest of your game, you know, how seriously you take it. Do you feel like people just view you as a dunker? Like, how do you go about everyday proving people, you know, there's a lot more to my game, there's more that I can do? Yeah, I mean, I think maybe when I was younger, it bothered me and obviously the dunk contest, people are gonna think of me as dunk first, absolutely, but it's not like I'm really trying to prove anything to the people that don't know anything about me. Like, if you really love basketball, your research, you know, you'd be like, oh, what is this kid about? You'll go look, you'll go look at my stats, you'll look at the opportunities I've been given and what I've done with them and go from there. I'm not really, I'm not playing to any type of gallery right now, but just trying to be the best version of myself. Onto the important stuff. Your cousin, Riff Raff. He once nicknamed you Ivory Aller. Is this Riff Raff? Is this because of his Riff Raff? He once nicknamed you Ivory Iverson. It's pretty good, actually. You cool with that nickname, how did that come about? Yeah, Lou, that's not my cousin. So he just said he was my cousin and, you know. I was gonna say. I have not got away from that in years, but. Okay, do you even know him? Not really. What is happening? Never met him. What is happening? Mac, have you ever met him? Never. That's hilarious. How did we get here? This is great. I didn't even know, I didn't know, I knew nothing about this. Okay, well listen. Question, who's your cousin Riff Raff? Yeah. Do you like the nickname? You know who Riff Raff is. Do what? Riff Raff, let's do some Riff Raff, man. There you go. It's my cousin. I mean, it's, I don't know. Whatever people want to call me, I don't really look into it too much. That's hilarious, you bring that up, man. It's trust me for one moment. I don't even know what to do with this right now. So he's just been going around telling, why would, why? Why would he do that? Why would he do that? Mac, why would he do that? He probably did after the dunk contest. He probably did after the dunk contest. He probably did after the dunk contest. It's racial. It's racial. It's always racial. All right, so we've learned something today. I feel like that was the biggest thing. But Ivory Iverson's kind of a, do you like the nickname, by the way? Kind of hate it. I mean, it's a compliment for sure. I mean, I don't have a problem with it. I don't love it. Mac, this has been awesome. Our entire research department's obviously fired. So we appreciate you for pointing that out to us. And we'll make sure it doesn't happen again. We want to see you in a dunk contest again, bro. 100%. Make that happen. Matter of fact, I'm not watching unless you're in this. So get back in there. Thanks. I like that. Thanks, Mac. Appreciate the time. Good luck. Rest of the way.