Dec 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) reacts with Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) after the game at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Philadelphia 76ers Celebrate Jared McCain Ahead of Suns Matchup

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jan 6, 2025 8:13 PM ET

On Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers welcomed their rookie guard Jared McCain back to the Wells Fargo Center to celebrate his last major accomplishment before going down with a major injury.

Lately, McCain hasn’t spent too much time around the team as he’s focused on recovering from a meniscus tear that he suffered on December 13 in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers.

At the time, McCain was thriving in every role the Sixers threw at him. Sometimes, he was a key member of the starting five. At other times, he was one of the first players to come off of the bench, collecting starter minutes.

Unfortunately, his 28-minute shift against Indiana in mid-December was the last time he saw the floor. After getting diagnosed with a lateral meniscus tear, McCain underwent surgery. He’s been recovering without a timeline to return in place. Monday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns marked the 11th absence for McCain so far.

Although McCain couldn’t play on Monday, the Sixers celebrated the rookie finally after he was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for the first month of action during the 2024-2025 NBA season.

celebrating our October/November rookie of the month tonight.

we had to kick off celebrations with a sweet treat! pic.twitter.com/yfrXzCwoL0
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 6, 2025

when the whole squad finally gets to celebrate the #kiaROTM pic.twitter.com/KJ63n6E9ij
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 7, 2025

McCain was on quite the run through his first 30 games. Despite heading into the 2024-2025 NBA season unsure of his role, the Sixers quickly realized he would need to be utilized despite his lack of experience.

By his eighth game, McCain checked in for over 30 minutes for the first time. He scored 18 points on 44 percent shooting from three. By his 11th outing, McCain collected his first start. The trend of starting continued for the next seven games.

Before going down with an injury, McCain was knocking down 46 percent of his shots and 38 percent of his threes. He posted averages of 15 points, two rebounds, and three assists throughout the first stretch of the season. The former Duke star quickly became one of the Sixers’ most reliable players this year, as Philly battled through many notable injuries.

The Sixers have found a way to bounce back in the absence of McCain throughout December, but they remain outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. It’s unclear if McCain could get an opportunity to return to the floor later in the year to help the Sixers through a potential playoff push.

As of now, there have been hints about McCain’s rookie season being over already. During one of the rookie’s latest YouTube Vlogs, he suggested that his season was over. The Sixers have yet to confirm if that’s truly the case or not.

Either way, McCain’s rookie campaign generated a ton of excitement for his future in the league with the 76ers. Prior to going down with his knee injury, McCain was the popular pick as the way-too-early Rookie of the Year picture.