Philadelphia 76ers Receive Stellar Draft Grade for Jared McCain

Sixers receive high praise for first-round pick in 2024 NBA Draft.

Dec 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) in action against the Indiana Pacers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves with the No. 16 pick. Many expected them to trade the selection, but instead they walked away with Duke standout Jared McCain.

At the start the season, McCain found himself low on the depth chart due to all the Sixers' veteran talent. However, he quickly found himself in a prominent role. Due to an array of injuries, Nick Nurse would call upon the rookie guard to play big minutes early in the season.

McCain stepped up in a big way for the Sixers, proving he can be a reliable piece in year one. He put on numerous standout performances, most notably a 34-point, 10-assist outing against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As we pass the quarter mark of the regular season, the people at Bleacher Report looked back at each first-round pick from last summer's draft. The Sixers received high praise for their selection, receiving a grade of an A+.

Depending on the length of his absence, McCain might not wind up as one of this season's most productive rookies. But he was arguably the very best first-year player through the season's first two months. The Sixers snagged a good one at No. 16, and we're not going to let an injury obscure that fact.

Across 23 games, McCain averaged 15.3 PPG and 2.6 APG while shooting 38.3% from beyond the arc. The Sixers guard emerged as the early favorite for Rookie of the Year, but his first season in the pros has come to a premature and unfortunate end.

In a matchup against the Indiana Pacers earlier this month, McCain suffered an injury to his meniscus. He later had surgery to repair his injured knee, and the Sixers announced he'd be out indefinitely. However, McCain recently revealed on his YouTube channel that he likely won't play again this season.