Jared McCain's Progression Can't Be Overlooked Next Season

While OKC has multiple young players set to progress, McCain should be considered one of the top ones.

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) controls the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the fourth quarter during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One Thunder guard can’t be looked past when talking about player progression for next season. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going into this upcoming season with a lot of pressure on younger players to perform. These young bucks will be launched into their roles in the absence of some of last year’s key players and will be expected to help the Thunder once again compete for an NBA Championship. 

Some of these rising stars have been talked about quite frequently, like Cason Wallace, who will likely make the transition to starter to fill Lu Dort’s role, or Ajay Mitchell, who has been expected to be one of the favorites for Sixth Man of the Year and lead the second unit. While these two players will be expected to be a big part of OKC’s game plan, there is another player whose projected leap could make big headlines as next season goes on. 

Jared McCain is also set to have a bigger role on the team, yet other young players have overshadowed his projected impact. McCain is entering his third season in the NBA and his first full season with OKC, as he was traded to the Thunder at last year’s trade deadline. 

McCain was a key piece in the Thunder’s playoff run last year, especially in the Western Conference Finals, which included a 24-point performance in Game 3. His play was rewarded in the series, with McCain starting in two games for OKC during the series. 

This shows the trust that the organization has in the young guard, and also shows just how much the guard could be used next season. McCain will likely be trusted with the majority of Isaiah Joe’s old role as the team’s sharpshooter, and could very well see a boost in minutes that goes beyond the 20 minutes-per-game mark. 

McCain has seemed to accept his advanced role, as he has been described as one of the hardest workers on the team by Sam Presti. This hard work could be the thing that truly puts McCain over the top next season and could catapult him into the spotlight as one of the best rising stars in the league. 

A couple callouts from Presti when talking about re-imagining the Thunder ahead of next season:

"Jared McCain, he’s up there with some of the best workers we’ve had,

Ajay Mitchell, he’s ready to take another jump with more opportunity,”

— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) September 24, 2026

While the Thunder have recognized young stars, with Wallace being an All-NBA Defensive Second Team selection and Mitchell projected as one of the best young guards in the league, there are multiple players who are capable of attracting attention as well. McCain has the opportunity to not only attract attention, but by this time next year he could have stolen the majority of it.