Jericho Sims is a man of few words, but though he tried, the second-year Knicks center was unable to make the loud statement he was hoping for in his debut in the Slam Dunk Contest.
G-League guard Mac McClung drew the loudest roars from the NBA All-Stars and fans to easily grab the title over Sims and two others on Saturday night at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
The 6-foot-2 McClung, who was signed to a two-way contract earlier in the week by the 76ers, was the only player to receive a perfect score of 50 on any of his four dunks, and he did so three times, including twice in the finals,to defeat Trey Murphy III of the Pelicans.
The 6-10 Sims was trying to bring the trophy back to New York for the sixth time and the second year in a row. Last year in Cleveland, Obi Toppin became the third player in Knicks history to earn the title, joining Kenny Walker (1989) and three-time winner Nate Robinson (2006, 2009-10).
McClung received his first 50 on his initial dunk and a 49.8 on his second to advance, along with Murphy, to the finals, eliminating Sims and Kenyon Martin Jr. of the Rockets.
Sims received scores of 47.8 and 47.4 on his first-round dunks from judges Dominique Wilkins, Jamal Crawford, Lisa Leslie, Harold Miner and Karl Malone.
On his first dunk, the 24-year-old Sims flipped the ball off the backboard and finished with both forearms inside the rim. His second dunk was similar, with his entire right arm ending up in the rim after he grabbed a piece paper that said “50,” even though his score fell short of that number.
“I thought they should be higher,” Sims said afterward of his scores. “For sure, everybody watching from the sidelines, seeing the reactions to my dunks, it was great.”
McClung, 24, notched two more perfect scores in the finals, one with a double-pump reverse two-hander after jumping over someone along the baseline and the other a 540-degree reverse finish while wearing his high school jersey.
“It’s great, man, I’m truly blessed and grateful to the NBA for giving me this opportunity,” McClung said on TNT afterward. “I think the biggest thing is manifestation. I don’t get surprised by things like this, but I’m very appreciative.”
After he was told that TNT analyst Kenny Smith said he “saved the dunk contest,” McClung vowed to defend his title next year.
“I got to,” McClung said. “If you guys me will have me, I’ll be back.”
Sims acknowledged earlier Saturday that he has worked with NBA dunk guru Chuck Millan, who told The Post on Friday that “people are definitely gonna be wowed by [Sims]” and his leaping ability.
“I am [excited] just to show what I can do, display my athleticism. It’s going to be fun,” Sims said before the competition. “[Toppin] told me who’s going to be working with me, and he gave me some pointers on how to go about it.”
Millan said on Friday that he had worked with all four participants, adding “they definitely are different styles of dunkers.
“Mac is 6-1, 6-2, so he’s a little guy, but he’s a guy who studies dunks and is a little more flashy, a little more trickery,” Millan said. “And then Trey Murphy is more of an entertainment guy, he’s long and dangly, and looks really cool when he dunks. And then KJ Martin, is just a power dude, you can feel it when he dunks.
“And Jericho is just kind of like, ‘What the hell was that?’ His jumping ability is just out of control.”