What happened to Jared McCain? NBA insider shares latest on 76ers' rookie guard facing major setback
Jared McCain has been a silver lining for the Philadelphia 76ers in a season filled with struggles. But now, there's bad news on McCain that Philly fans will have to cope with as well.
On Saturday, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that McCain had suffered a serious injury and that there was no timetable for his return.
The 76ers tweeted this official announcement regarding McCain's status:
Though it's not clear when McCain's injury occurred, the 76ers said that left knee soreness was an issue for the rookie after their 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
This injury has significant ramifications for McCain's rookie year and the 76ers' prospects.
Jared McCain's chances of winning Rookie of the Year are in jeopardy
After being drafted 16th overall in this year's NBA draft, the former Duke star made his presence felt on the 76ers roster with his outside shooting and high basketball IQ.
In the 23 games that he'd played prior to his injury, McCain averaged 15.3 points and 38.3% shooting from beyond the arc. He also contributed 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Talks of McCain winning Rookie of the Year picked up after he was named Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November with his stellar performances in the absence of his team's stars.
Given that he is set to undergo surgery, it's likely McCain will lose steam and fall behind in the Rookie of the Year race.
Jared McCain's injury adds to Sixers' injury probkems
The McCain news is the latest setback for Philadelphia, a team that has endured a number of tough breaks early in the season.
Joel Embiid, the former NBA MVP and current cornerstone of the franchise, has played just six games this season. Knee issues have forced him to sit out a significant chunk of games, including the 76ers' first nine outings.
In the last game McCain played for the Sixers, Embiid suffered a broken sinus after taking an elbow from Pacers wing Benedict Mathurin.
In addition to Embiid's injury woes, All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has missed six games, while Paul George has sat out 10. All told, the team has won just seven of their first 23 games and sits 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Coach Nick Nurse will have to look elsewhere for a spark to rejuvenate the 76ers. For the time being, that spark won't be coming from Jared McCain.