Mac McClung’s record-setting third-straight NBA Slam Dunk Contest performance captivated Skip Bayless, who noted that the “little white guy” deserves recognition for breaking stereotypes. During a monologue on Tuesday’s The Skip Bayless Show, Bayless ventured into controversial territory, discussing McClung alongside other white athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Cooper DeJean, Cooper Flagg, and Brock Bowers—all of whom he associated with feats he previously thought impossible.
Any race-related discourse in sports often sparks controversy, as evidenced by debates about Caitlin Clark’s race during her WNBA rookie season and discussions over whether Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson deserved NFL MVP accolades. Bayless established his long-standing views on Black athletes before praising McClung, asserting, “I don’t know any white commentator who’s been more outspoken about racial and social justice than I’ve been over the last 20-odd years… Black players in football and especially basketball have proven to be generally better than white players for the last 50-odd years.” He added that it hasn’t bothered him that around 80% of NBA players are Black.
However, he emphasized that it’s time to acknowledge some white athletes who are breaking the mold, specifically praising McClung as “the greatest contest dunker ever.” He expressed concern that McClung is not receiving the respect he deserves due to being perceived as “a little white guy,” recalling the adage that “white men can’t jump.” Following McClung’s impressive three-peat in the dunk contest, which inspired Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo to consider competing next year, Bayless remarked, “Mac McClung can skywalk. He can power slam. He has Jordanesque hang time… Giannis, you’ve got no shot. Ja, you can jump out of the gym, but so can this little white kid.”
Bayless also mentioned Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who could become the NBA’s first “white American star” since Larry Bird. This led Bayless to discuss Clark, calling her “this 6-foot-tall white girl from Iowa,” and DeJean, who shone in the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl win. He expressed disbelief at seeing Clark becoming a sensation in women’s pro basketball, and similarly noted the rarity of a white cornerback starting in the NFL today.
We’re suddenly seeing things from white athletes that, five years ago, I would’ve bet a lot of money against pic.twitter.com/26NVlf7H2o
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 18, 2025
Finally, Bayless commended Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, stating, “We are suddenly seeing things from white athletes that five years ago, I would have bet a lot of money against. It seems the long-term greatness of Black athletes has pushed some white athletes to evolve… I think this is great for sports.”
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