For years, Mac McClung has resisted the lure of Europe while trying to turn his dominance in the NBA G League into a permanent place in the NBA.
After another historic season failed to produce that breakthrough, the three-time Slam Dunk Contest champion appears ready to take his career in a different direction.
McClung is drawing serious interest from EuroLeague clubs and is likely to continue his career in Europe, according to a July 30 report from BasketNews.
No team has emerged as the favorite to sign him, but the development comes at a telling point in his career.
The 27-year-old has already accomplished nearly everything available to him in the G League and entered the summer as a free agent after finishing last season with the Chicago Bulls.
A move overseas would also mark a change in approach for McClung, who has spent several years turning down lucrative international opportunities in favor of remaining within reach of an NBA call-up.
McClung Previously Chose NBA Chase Over Europe
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 10: Head coach Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls gives instructions to Mac McClung #5 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half against the Orlando Magic at the United Center on April 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
McClung acknowledged in February that EuroLeague and Chinese teams had repeatedly tried to sign him.
He told HoopsHype that some of the offers were substantial, with Basketball Sphere reporting that McClung described them as difficult to turn down despite his determination to keep pursuing an NBA role.
“This year I wanted to continue chasing a place in the NBA,” McClung said. “That doesn’t mean it will be the same next year.”
Those circumstances look different entering the 2026-27 season.
McClung signed a two-way contract with the Bulls in February after beginning the season with the Indiana Pacers, who had given him his first standard NBA contract in October.
Indiana waived him after three appearances. And although Chicago brought him back later in the season, neither stop developed into the steady opportunity he had spent years pursuing.
McClung appeared in 11 NBA games overall last season, averaging 6.1 points. His latest run with the Bulls officially ended this summer, with RealGM listing him as becoming a free agent July 1 before Chicago renounced its free-agent exception rights to him July 10.
That timing makes Europe a more logical option than it was earlier in his career.
Another season in the G League would offer McClung not much in terms of raising his stock.
On the flip side, a prominent EuroLeague role offers a chance to test his scoring against some of the best competition outside the NBA.
Plus, he can establish some stability after years of moving between developmental assignments and short NBA stays.
Historic G League Season Still Did Not Unlock NBA Role
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 05: Mac McClung #5 of the Chicago Bulls holds his leg after a flagrant by Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at the United Center on April 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images)
The argument for giving McClung a larger opportunity became difficult to strengthen much further last season.
The NBA G League named him its 2025-26 MVP after he averaged a league-leading 31.8 points along with 7.9 assists during the regular season. It was McClung’s second MVP award, making him the first player in league history to win the honor twice.
His biggest milestone came March 24, when McClung scored a career-high 59 points for the Windy City Bulls. He became the G League’s all-time leading scorer.
The league credited him with 5,335 career points across the Tip-Off Tournament, regular season and playoffs when it announced the record the following day.
Those accomplishments have helped separate McClung’s professional play from the dunking reputation that made him famous.
He won three consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contests from 2023 through 2025. Yet, sustained NBA minutes have remained elusive even as his production in the G League continued to climb.
At 27, McClung has reached the point where proving he can dominate the developmental level is unlikely to change much.
Europe may now give him something that NBA efforts never yielded.
Former Chicago Bull and 3-Time NBA Dunk Champion Nearing Move to Europe