76ers' Jared McCain Eager to Return After Shortened Rookie Campaign

Jared McCain eager to make his return to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Dec 4, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) controls the ball against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

While most of the storylines around the Philadelphia 76ers were negative this season, there were some positives that came from the injury-ridden 2025 campaign. Early on in the year, the main chatter around the team was rookie Jared McCain shattering expectations.

With so many veteran guards ahead of him on the depth chart, McCain didn't get much opportunity to play early on. However, once the injuries started to pile up, Nick Nurse ended up calling his number.

Similar to Quentin Grimes after the trade deadline, McCain made the most of his expanded role on the shorthanded Sixers. Following a string of impressive performances, the young guard became an early favorite for Rookie of the Year.

In his first 23 games, McCain averaged 15.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 2.6 APG. In the midst of showing a ton of promise, his rookie campaign ended up coming to an abrupt halt. During a December 13th matchup against the Indiana Pacers, McCain suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Though forced to be on the sidelines, McCain has managed to keep himself in good spirits. Still in the midst of his rehab, he is eager to help get the franchise back on track. During his exit interview before the season finale against the Chicago Bulls, he opened up about learning from this whole experience and moving forward.

"I'm ready to get back out there," McCain said. "I know everybody else wants to get back out there. You have to learn from what happened and keep going."

sophomore season. 🔜 pic.twitter.com/FCKPs1spgW

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 18, 2025

While his time on the floor was brief, McCain showed he is more than capable of being a productive member of the Sixers' supporting cast on a nightly basis. Upon making his return next season, he is a lock to have a consistent role in the rotation in 2025 and beyond.