GATE CITY, Va. (WJHL) – Two-time NBA slam dunk champion and Gate City native Mac McClung is eager to return to his old playing field and help young basketball players improve their skills.
The two-day camp, which began Friday, will be Makurung's fourth annual camp. He and his parents have been hosting camps as a way to give back to the community that supported him.
“This is a great way for him,” said Mack's father, Marcus McClung. “Open the camp and show him the respect and love he has for this area and this community.”
About 300 kids signed up to learn from McClung, some traveling for hours and others coming from just around the corner for the chance to train with him. .
“He's my favorite basketball player,” said Johnny Hoelzl, who attended from Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. “And I want to dunk like him and learn from him.”
Herzle's mother, Barb, said her excitement for camp extends beyond her son.
“I'll do anything to make my child happy,” Barb says. “And I'm happy too. Happiest Mother's Day.”
Carsen Pervin, a local participant from Kingsport, Tennessee, said he benefited from the camp.
“Coming here I felt like I got better and my skills continued to improve,” Parvin said.
For Mac's parents, the level of interest and excitement about camp was unimaginable.
“I'm always speechless,” said Mac's mother, Lenore. “As a parent, it's a great moment to think that these people are spending their Mother's Day weekend attending camp and spending time with their kids.”
This year, McClung brought in some NBA trainers, and he said it was an experience the kids will never forget.
“It's not every day you get to practice hitting drills with an NBA trainer,” McClung said. “So if I was a kid, I would want to do drills like that and see what NBA players do.”
The McClungs plan to host another camp in June. Learn more about.