Rookie Jared McCain, 76ers to Open Season Against Bucks

The former Duke Blue Devil is set to make his NBA debut for what should be a formidable Philadelphia 76ers team throughout this season.

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jared McCain poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

With the addition of Paul George in the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers are going all in to finally get over a long-lasting postseason slump of being capped off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals -- a recurring theme since 2017-18 and the Ben Simmons era.

A player who is along for that ride brings a fresh sense of personality to the 76ers' table. Jared McCain, the Duke Blue Devil selected No. 16 overall to Philadelphia in this year's draft, is going to be a catalyst for the 76ers this season and could be a huge addition to the reserve unit.

He'll add a great deal of dynamic outside shooting, intelligent play and some stout positional defense at his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. McCain seems to fit like a glove in this current roster lineup, and he should find some meaningful time on the floor early on.

Their first bout against the Milwaukee Bucks -- a team that has had Philadelphia's number in recent years -- will be a very intriguing one to watch as a season opener, and will also be interesting to see if McCain finds much time on the floor. The 76ers backcourt has some depth to it, of course, with Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon, so seeing McCain enter the game as part of a rotating scheme to feel out the roster could be viable. In the first meeting against a conference foe though, it wouldn't be surprising of Nick Nurse to attack this game thoroughly and keep his lineup fairly strict.

But acting as if McCain assuredly gets some impactful on-court time on opening night, he should be able to showcase his promise in his role for a 76ers team trying to kick it into another gear in the 2024-25 season.

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