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Don’t Forget How Good Jared McCain is
By Sean Barnard
Published:
We are in the dead of the Sixers offseason, about two months to start of training camp on October 1st. Outside of vague, pessimistic reports on Joel Embiid, there isn’t much going on in the local basketball world.
The team sits at an interesting crossroads of timelines. Hopes of contending are dependent on whatever is left in Embiid’s knee and hopefully a bounce back season from Paul George. While they will help with the win-now effort as well, there also has been a noteworthy youth movement to build a better future for the post-Embiid era. Third overall pick V.J. Edgecombe headlines this with Tyrese Maxey jammed in the middle of the timelines.
But don’t let the future of Jared McCain get lost in the shuffle. Last year’s 16th overall pick was on pace to be the runaway Rookie of the Year before he joined the lengthy list of season-ending injuries with his meniscus tear. The season went off the rails, but there is still substance in the time he spent on the court.
Across the 23 games of action he did play, McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in just 25.7 minutes per night. He connected on 38.3% of his three-point attempts with his off-ball instincts and quick release providing a new element to this Sixers offense. After opening the season with +3500 odds for Rookie of the Year, he had climbed to a -125 favorite before he was shut down for the season.
As the bodies around him fell, McCain made the most of his expanded opportunity and the production followed. Across a seven-game stretch from November 10th to the 22nd, the Duke product averaged 26.1 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 45.6% from beyond the three-point arc on 9.7 perimeter shots per game. The influence of Steph Curry is evident across the entire NBA. But beyond just launching three-pointers from well beyond the arc, McCain is a Curry disciple in the sense that his off-ball movement is nonstop. The ability to create a shot for himself without having the ball in his hands is a skill that is uncommon among young players and his quick release and repeatable shot form make these opportunities so valuable. McCain himself has been open in recognizing Curry as a player he wants to follow in his footsteps and the proof is in the game tape.
Last season has to be viewed through a kaleidoscope-like lens as the team sorts through how much was in spite of the situation and how much was as a result of it. But nothing about McCain’s flashes felt fake, and the youthful energy he brought also popped on the floor. Having his season end due to injury isn’t ideal, but there should be far more confidence in the 21-year-old and his 6-foot-3 frame compared to his MVP counterpart on the Sixers roster. A meniscus recovery at McCain’s age is nearly a non-issue. The Sixers also have been far more clear in providing updates for his timeline and McCain is already back on the court and working out:
The former ACC All-freshman posted a .589 true shooting percentage last season, which takes into account efficiency in two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws. The NBA league average was .576 and McCain posted nearly a 25% usage rate while still reaching this impressive figure. The only other players in NBA history to have recorded above league average true shooting with this high of a usage rate as a rookie (minimum 500 minutes played) are David Robinson, Michael Jordan, Arvydas Sabonis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Alonzo Mourning, Dražen Petrović, Zion Williamson, and Rodrigue Beaubois. The 23 games played are a big asterisk on this regarding McCain, but it is notable him being a smaller guard posting this level of efficiency.
How all the pieces fit together is a question both in the short and long term for this Sixers team. But it should not be considered out of the question that McCain is the primary scorer and best player of the next generation of this Sixers team. The early numbers are as encouraging as you could ask for and there should be excitement for what this means for the Sixers moving forward.
The TikToks are not going anywhere anytime soon.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.