76ers Rookie Shares Honest Reaction to Challenge of Facing LaMelo Ball

Jared McCain faced LaMelo Ball for the first time on Sunday.

Nov 8, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates after a three point basket in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Charlotte Hornets was a showdown of young guards. On Charlotte’s side, they were led by their established All-Star, LaMelo Ball.

On the Sixers’ side, they received a surprising boost from the bench, as the rookie Jared McCain helped lead them to an overtime victory against the Hornets.

McCain flashed brilliance on both sides of the ball on Sunday night. While he entered the 2024 NBA Draft out of Duke as one of his class’s most notable two-way standouts, McCain was really put to the test on Sunday by facing a healthy and thriving Ball.

The two had to battle it out in overtime to settle the score. McCain handled the situation like a seasoned pro.

“For me, it’s kind of just being quiet,” McCain said after the game, discussing the challenge of taking on Ball. “Everything is so loud around you, so just locking in on the ball and having a quiet mind. My psychologist calls it, ‘Feel the dance,’ and I just feel the flow and feel the dance and just wanted to get a stop. That’s all I wanted.”

“It’s just being quiet. Everything’s so loud around you, so just locking in on the ball and having a quiet mind. My psychologist calls it “Feel the Dance” … and I just wanted to get a stop.”

Jared McCain on what went thru his head while defending LaMelo Ball in OT: pic.twitter.com/UfFYjrxX9P

— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) November 11, 2024

Ball had a big game against the Sixers on Sunday, leading both teams in scoring and hitting a clutch shot in the fourth quarter to force overtime after the Hornets came back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.

None of that mattered to McCain when the game was on the line during the final five minutes.

“I take it moment by moment. I’m not trying to look at the bigger picture like, ‘Oh my god I’m guarding LaMelo Ball. It’s overtime’. I just try to take it moment-by-moment, be present, and then when you’re present, I feel like you react in the moment, and you feel everything that’s happening around you, and you react to it. It’s a great feeling to be present.”

McCain and the Sixers pulled off the victory. Ball finished the game with 38 points, eight assists, and four rebounds, but he saw his team’s record drop to 4-6.

JARED MCCAIN GOES FOR A CAREER-HIGH ON 56% SHOOTING TO HELP THE SIXERS WIN VS. THE HORNETS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fEvBvSeqkl

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 11, 2024

Meanwhile, McCain had the biggest night of his young career, as he scored 27 points, along with three rebounds and two assists.

The Sixers remain near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2-7 record, but they look forward to potentially getting a key reinforcement this week, as Joel Embiid’s eligible to return.