Sep 30, 2024; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) poses for a photo on media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

76ers Rookie Reacts to Recent Praise From Joel Embiid

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated 10/17/24

Dating back to the start of training camp, one player on the Philadelphia 76ers who has been praised a lot is rookie Jared McCain. As he prepares for his first season in the pros, the former first-round pick shared his thoughts on one of the game's top stars speaking highly of him.

While the Sixers have managed his workload thus far, Joel Embiid was still around all through training camp to get acclimated with his new teammates. After seeing him compete for a couple days, the former MVP went out of his way to speak highly of McCain. Embiid stated that the Duke guard had been one of the best players in camp for the Sixers.

Embiid called Jared McCain the Sixers’ best player in camp so far. Highlighted his competitiveness and shooting as things that jumped out right away
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) October 3, 2024

During a recent interview, McCain was asked his thoughts on Embiid's kind words. As expected, he was blown away to be talked about in such a way by a superstar-level talent.

"It was pretty crazy," McCain said. "For him to say that is pretty insane coming from one of the best players in the NBA. It got sent to our family group chat, everyone was really excited."

Through his five preseason games with the Sixers, McCain has played well. He shined in his debut against the New Zealand Breakers, notching 15 points and seven rebounds to go along with four made threes. McCain followed up this performance by recording nine points and two rebounds in 15 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.

Overall, McCain averaged 12.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field. He attempted 5.8 threes per game, hitting on 38 percent of his attempts.

With multiple veterans ahead of him on the depth chart, there isn't a clear path for McCain to play consistently in year one. That said, he is making the most of his opportunity to show why he belongs in Nick Nurse's rotation.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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