What a difference a day can make as the hits keep on coming for the Philadelphia 76ers. Amidst a myriad of injuries from Joel Embiid to KJ Martin and everywhere in between, the Sixers announced an unfortunate update regarding their sensation rookie guard, Jared McCain.
Just days before, it was confirmed that McCain had not yet been ruled out for the remainder of the season, but a follow-up on Thursday, Jan. 9, would determine that rookies’ season would officially be over. The Sixers would then release the news to the media via a press release stating:
“Jared McCain was reviewed today by the surgeon who performed surgery on his left knee on Dec. 17. He is progressing well and will be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.”
McCain, who has a YouTube account that posts documentary-style videos of his life on a weekly basis, has mentioned the idea of him missing the rest of the season previously, but an official announcement had not been made by the organization, which considered him to be out “indefinitely,” not committing one way or another on the injury being season-ending.
McCain’s surgery on Dec. 17 was a repair of the Meniscus, not a removal. A removal, which Sixers star Joel Embiid underwent last season, physically removes the affected portion of the meniscus, while a repair allows the meniscus to heal. The former is typically the preferred option for a quicker return, while the latter is preferential for maintaining the knee’s long-term health.
For McCain, whose NBA journey is just beginning, the decision was to repair, not remove.
McCain originally tore his meniscus on Dec. 13 in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Many will remember because the initial concern was a concussion after a hard fall, but after clearing concussion protocol, McCain cited left knee soreness to the team after the game against Indiana, and an MRI the next day revealed that he had suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.
It was a terrible blow for both the Sixers and McCain. The 20-year-old guard was the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year and vastly out-kicking his coverage with regards to his draft spot (No. 16). The Sixers needed McCain far more than they expected to, and they’ve missed him terribly in the games since.
Despite going 8-4 after the injury as opposed to 7-16 before it, if you look at what this current squad needs more than anything, except technically and yet also including health, it’s a player the archetype of Jared McCain.
The sharpshooting guard played 23 games, starting in eight of them, and averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds while playing 25.7 minutes per game. With a 46.0/38.3/87.5 splits on the season, McCain was both effective and efficient during his rookie season; it’s a shame it didn’t last longer.
Still, McCain’s rookie campaign should be remembered with excitement, and his contributions next season and in the years to come are something truly worth looking forward to.
