Sixers News: Jared McCain Joins Ben Simmons in Rookie Franchise History

Jared McCain puts together another strong outing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Dec 4, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

After a rather quiet outing against the Detroit Pistons over the weekend, Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain has returned to form as of late. He dropped 17 points off the bench against the Hornets Tuesday, and took things up a notch against the Orlando Magic the following night.

With it being the second leg of a back-to-back, the Sixers ruled out Paul George Wednesday coming off his return from injury. This left Nick Nurse with an open spot in his starting lineup, which ended up going to McCain.

Similar to what he's done all year, McCain took full advantage of his opportunity to start against the Magic. He ended up scoring a team-high 24 points on an efficient 10-for-17 shooting from the field. Despite the strong effort from the young guard, the Sixers ended up falling to the Magic by a final score of 106-102.

the kid is having fun w it! pic.twitter.com/XA3RE90ZWP

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 5, 2024

With his outing against the Magic, McCain now has eight 20-point outings under his belt as a rookie. Not only is this the most among first-year players by a wide margin, it puts him in some impressive company in franchise history. This is the most 20-point games the Sixers have had from a rookie since Ben Simmons back in 2018.

.@J_mccain_24 is up to 21 points (9-12 FG, 2-3 3FG) through the game's first 3 quarters. It's his 8th 20+ point game this season, 2x as many as any other @NBA rookie.

McCain's eight such games are the most by a @sixers rookie since @BenSimmons25 had 20 in 17-18.

h/t @Stathead

— Sixers Stats (@SixersStats) December 5, 2024

Now in the second month of the season, McCain still looks like one of the league's top rookies. With each new efficient scoring performance, he continues to build a strong case to be in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

What has been most impressive from McCain is his ability to adapt on the fly. Despite his role changing on almost a nightly basis, he is still consistently finding ways to have an impact on the game. This has been a huge lift for the Sixers, who need added production from the supporting cast with their stars on the sidelines.

The Sixers will enjoy a brief break Thursday before running things back with the Magic on Friday night.