All 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Rookie Throws First Pitch at Phillies Game

Philadelphia 76ers first-rounder Jared McCain got a chance to throw out the first pitch at the Philadelphia Phillies game on Sunday.
Justin Grasso|
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jared McCain is interviewed on the red carpet after arriving for the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jared McCain is interviewed on the red carpet after arriving for the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In this story:

Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia Phillies

On Sunday, Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the Philadelphia Phillies game.

It marked the first time McCain got a chance to get in front of a large crowd of Philly fans since his name was called on draft night in Brooklyn back in June.

The scene at Citizens Bank Park was a preview of what’s to come. Next month, McCain will suit up and take the court at the Wells Fargo Center across the street for his first NBA campaign.

In a custom McCain jersey, the rookie had a chance to show off his arm.

The first-round pick is getting warmed up for a big 2024-2025 NBA season.

The Philadelphia 76ers on SI show is available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon streaming platforms.

Right now, McCain’s role isn’t clear. Although he’s a first-rounder who was selected just outside of the lottery, McCain enters a tough situation with the Sixers as he lands on a playoff contender with championship goals.

At Duke, McCain started in 36 games for his freshman campaign. He knocked down 46 percent of his shots and drilled 41 percent of his threes. The young guard produced 14 points per game. On the glass, McCain averaged five rebounds per game. He dished out two assists on a nightly basis.

Over the summer, McCain competed for the Sixers during the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer League runs. In Vegas, McCain averaged nearly ten points per outing. He struggled with his shot, making just 29 percent of his attempts from the field and only 19 percent of his threes. McCain averaged four rebounds and two assists throughout the summer.

McCain’s warmup run won’t affect the way he’s viewed throughout his first NBA training camp. Next month, McCain will get a chance to bounce back in the Bahamas and throughout the preseason. While he’s not guaranteed minutes at the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season, the rookie is motivated to crack the rotation at some point next season.

Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

Share on XFollow @JGrasso_
Home/News