OKC's Jared McCain Showcases Outside Shot in Intriguing Preseason Opener

The Thunder guard wasn't afraid to let it fly in his first action of the preseason.

Oct 6, 2026; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) gestures after scoring a three point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City finally got back on the floor for some preseason action, and it saw some encouraging signs from those who played.

On Tuesday night, the Thunder opened their preseason with a 116-110 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. In the team’s return to Tulsa, most of the rotation sat out on the front end of the back-to-back, but the Thunder still put on a show in the first half. 

Despite the Thunder’s top stars taking the night off, the team still had some important pieces on the court. Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain and Kenrich Williams all made their preseason debuts and shined.

While Bennett Stirtz and Aday Mara stole the show in their first taste of NBA action, McCain may have had the most intriguing night. Playing only in the first half, McCain still finished with 12 points and five assists, showcasing his skills as a scorer and playmaker. 

His half-court lob to Mara might’ve been the highlight of the night, but his box score shows something that could be much more intriguing. McCain finished the night shooting 4-of-10 from the floor, including a 4-of-8 mark from beyond the arc.

With Isaiah Joe now in Detroit, McCain is expected to take over as the team’s main sharpshooter this season. Although it’s only one preseason half, McCain taking 80% of his shot attempts from 3-point range is certainly something to follow as the season progresses.

After arriving in Oklahoma City last season, McCain took 55.4% of his shots from outside, which ranked fifth among the Thunder’s standard contract players. In the playoffs, his 3-point attempt rate dipped slightly to 51.5%, good for seventh on the squad.

The Thunder’s playoff injury issues certainly contributed to his shot selection in those matchups, but his rate being in the mid to low 50s is still considerably below Joe’s rate of 77.3% across his four seasons with the Thunder. Of course, McCain’s 80% rate in game one of the preseason lines up well with Joe’s rate with the team.

Given that McCain is more of a creator than Joe and has made the mid-range a key piece of his game up to this point, it’s tough to say if that shot diet is a sign of things to come. It may be the product of not playing at 100% intensity in the preseason opener, or it might be a conscious effort by McCain and the coaching staff to increase his outside attempts. 

Either way, McCain had an encouraging start to the preseason and looks ready to contribute again this season.