76ers Rookie Showing Early Signs of Stardom

Philadelphia’s Jared McCain’s hasn’t looked like a rookie so far.

Nov 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) controls the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Production, and more specifically positive impact, isn’t typical of NBA rookies.

It’s not that they aren’t talented or capable, just that the skill jump is a harsh one for most players. And the inefficiency and turnovers that come with the newness — along with lesser playing time — can be a hard breakthrough for first-year players.

Those that do break through with decent production, or, almost miraculously, positive impact, usually end up as stars down the line.

Through just 11 games, Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain seems keen on adding himself to the latter list.

In his last four games, McCain has averaged 25.5 points on a decent 46% shooting. It goes without saying that would rank him among the league’s best scorers in that stretch, and 17 triples in that same span speak volumes to the confidence he’s playing with.

Most simply, NBA freshmen just don’t see this type of production for an extended period of time. Many would be lucky to see the solid side of 20 points in their first year, much less three times in four games, with the high points coming on 34 points.

To most evaluators, it seems McCain could really be bound for stardom if given the right developmental path and opportunity. And the confidence he's played with at each level lends itself well to that conversation.

On the season, McCain is now averaging a rookie-high 13.5 points per game on 46% shooting – well above most of his surrounding talent on the stat chart. He's shooting a blistering 39% on nearly five attempts per game from three, a nice number for even the league's most seasoned vets. And to top it all off, he's adding 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game.

At the collegiate level, the former five-star got off to a slow start at Duke before eventually finding his rhythm. Now, in the NBA, he needed just a handful of games before finding the best stretch of basketball in his career.

McCain's ascension to the NBA's elite would be a welcome one for Philadelphia. Despite the franchise already have a star trio, the former Duke Blue Devil fits perfectly alongside its franchise player in Embiid. And he'd have no issue fitting in next to Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt, either, as a scrappy defender for his size.

There’s, of course, time for McCain to cool off. And Philly’s trio of Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George have still yet to play one game together, meaning McCain’s opportunity as a lead or secondary scorer may be short-lived. And his elevated game hasn't necessarily led to a higher winning percentage for the team: being just 1-3 in that span, with losses to Cavaliers, Knicks and Lakers.

But for now, we’ll continue to watch as McCain puts together one of the better rookie stretches we've seen in some time.

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