The Best Player In G League History Can’t Get NBA Minutes, Is Chicago Missing Something?
The Chicago Bulls have seen a massive shift over the last six weeks. After several years of what felt like cruise control in the middle-bottom of the standings with the usual suspects repping the uniform, Arturas Karnisovas decided to tear it all down. While many were expecting to net at least a few first-round draft picks or stellar young assets to jumpstart the impending rebuild, the front office was only able to obtain a slew of second-round selections and a handful of expiring contracts. The product at the professional level has been a completely different scene each night, and featured more inconsistency up and down the roster than the previous five seasons combined. Down the stretch, the only thing Chicago can do is improve their draft positioning for the 2026 NBA Draft, and many assumed it would be the perfect opportunity to experiment with the youngest assets, give more freedoms to the untapped potential on the roster, and try any possible combination of players to provide clarity for the future. The most curious case of the bunch remains Mac McClung, famously known for his dunk contest performances and freakish athleticism. He has set the G League on absolute fire, yet still has not been granted an opportunity on the big stage. This reopens one of the longest-standing debates in basketball, and makes many start to wonder what the harm would be in giving him a chance against top-level competition.
G League Still Has Little to No Translation To The NBA
In today’s NBA, over 50% of the active players on current rosters appeared in the G League at some point in their careers. Does the game translate from one level to another? According to Chicago’s front office, no. McClung has been lighting the developmental league on fire, averaging a league-leading 30.9 points per night, adding 7.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals plus blocks. In his NBA career, he’s appeared in only 10 games over four seasons, most recently on February 5th, when he was 2-for-7 with 4 points. Obviously, his role plays a huge part in the staggering numbers. At the developmental level, he’s the highest-usage guard in the league, controlling the ball and the pace on a nightly basis. When he’s appeared in the NBA, he’s played an off-ball offensive role with minimal exposure to being given the reins to an offense. Still, his 54-point explosion a few weeks ago for the Windy City Bulls, followed by nearly dropping 60 last night, has basketball fans wondering whether he could contribute against the best competition.
Mac McClung in the G-League last night:
54 points
10 assists
7 rebounds
18/34 FG
9/18 3P
5/5 FTWhat a wild day in sports… pic.twitter.com/Icak7icPYk
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 11, 2026
With Chicago’s season solely focused on draft positioning and player development, is McClung worth an experimental promotion to see what he’s capable of? His numbers in the G League would be third in the NBA in points, top-six in assists, and top-eight in field goal percentage for players averaging 20 or more points. Given his rate of three-point attempts, he’d also be in the top portion of the ranks for efficiency from deep as well.
A Whole New World
McClung is quickly becoming the poster child for the fact that there are levels to this game. He was a menace at the college level, is setting the developmental league on fire, yet cannot earn a nod to the ultimate stage. The reality is that he’s a 6’2″, 185-pound undersized guard who would get relentlessly picked on defensively. While there have been elite guards of his stature or smaller, those players also contribute offensively at an all-world level, like Jalen Brunson or Chris Paul. Still, the question remains whether McClung would post his insane G League statistics at the next level, a question that’ll likely never be answered. It’s still hard to believe that no NBA franchise is willing to give him a shot at running the show. At 27 years old, he’s probably too deep into his prime playing years to grant the opportunity.
Mac McClung continues to stack up awards!
The @chicagobulls Two-Way signee has been named G League Player of the Week after putting up 38.3 PPG and 12.3 APG with a career-high 54-point game for the @windycitybulls. pic.twitter.com/Gvt67zuuG6
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 17, 2026
Last night, to stamp his case as the most deserving talent to get a legitimate look on the NBA stage, McClung had a performance for the ages with 59 points, the third-highest total ever at that level, and became the league’s all-time leading scorer in the process.
Mac McClung is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Not only did he become the G League All-Time Leading Scorer, he just recorded a career-high 59 points! This marks his second 50+ PT game this season. Mac now holds the third highest scoring game in G League history! pic.twitter.com/O7OoIffEi3— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 25, 2026
Does Chicago need to give this kid a look, or are all of his mind-blowing accomplishments at that level entirely meaningless when it comes to the professional stage?