Sixers’ Jared McCain continues to ‘feel the dance’ during his early season surge

Daryl Morey is an executive who typically swings to the upside in the draft, even when drafting a contender.

He took Tyrese Maxey over a bunch of more experienced players in 2020. Same with Jaden Springer, the youngest player selected in 2021.

Suffice it to say that one of them worked better than the other.

When the Sixers were on the clock for 2024 NBA DraftMorey had options with the 16th pick. Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, considered by many to be the most plug-and-play guy in the draft, had fallen down the board. Morey might have looked to move the pick, as he did when he traded his first-rounder to the Memphis Grizzlies for De’Anthony Melton in 2022. (Morey even referenced a “interesting player” that was offered on draft night for No. 16.)

Instead, he took 20-year-old guard Jared McCain out of Duke. It’s only been nine games, but it’s already starting to look like a championship.

McCain was the Sixers’ best player in a desperately needed 107-105 overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. He scored a team-high 27 points and essentially carried the offense through the second half.

“He can create, he can get past people and he’s got a variety of finishes,” head coach Nick Nurse said, “and he’s definitely playing with a lot of confidence and he just kept it going tonight.”

Crunch time offense running through a rookie with guys like Paul George and Kyle Lowry on the floor?

“Fortunately, Jared McCain is already in his 5th year,” George said. “He’s confident.”

That confidence and fearlessness has been paramount to McCain’s early success.

“To have Kyle Lowry and Paul George trust me in those moments,” he said, “what kid wouldn’t want to do that and be in those moments?”

McCain has now recorded three of the top eight scoring drives for NBA rookies this season. In a Rookie of the Year race that feels wide open, he is fourth among rookies averaging 10.2 points per game. match. His 27 points Sunday were the second-highest total by a freshman.

After understandably struggling a bit offensively in his first four games, McCain has been outstanding over his last five games, averaging 14.4 points on 47.4/40/100 shooting splits. He’s showing that he’s a three-level scorer, not just a sharpshooter.

“Just slow down,” McCain said. “When I come off a screen, I always show shots because that’s my biggest threat. And then if I’m able to draw the big one or get the defender on my side, I know I’ve got them. I can either get to the midrange or finish at the rim. And I work on those layups — same foot, same hand layups — all the time.”

If you didn’t know McCain said that, who on the Sixers do you think would have delivered that quote? Here’s a hint: he smiles a lot too.

It was not a perfect night for McCain. The Sixers had blown a 16-point lead and were clinging to a three-point advantage with 10 seconds left. Charlotte inbounded the ball to the corner to LaMelo Ball. McCain closed late and the former All-Star guard hit a tough turnaround three to send the game into overtime.

“It’s just the worst feeling when you know you messed something up,” McCain said. “You skipped a step and then he has an open step on you.”

Credit to the youngster. He didn’t sulk or sulk. He made a big basket in overtime and made an even bigger stop on Ball.

Head coach Nick Nurse said after the game that while McCain still has a lot to learn on defense, he knows the rookie is willing and plays hard on that end.

Whether it’s making a big bucket or coming up with a key stop, it’s all gratifying for McCain as long as it leads to victory.

“For me, it’s just kind of being quiet,” he said. “Everything is so loud around you, so you just have to lock onto the ball and keep a calm mind. My psychologist calls it ‘Feel the dance.’ And I’m just feeling the flow, feeling the dance. Just wanted a stop, that’s all I wanted.”

Like Tyrese Maxey, McCain is hearty and playful with joy. They also both want to rip out their opponent’s heart. People can talk about the TikTok videos and the painted nails all they want, but McCain is a rough player. He crashes the glass between the trees at 6-foot-3 and constantly dives to the floor for loose balls.

He did all the little things, even when he wasn’t scoring early in the season. Now, just nine games into his NBA career, he’s being featured on the offense.

“A lot of things happen so quickly,” McCain said. “You get faster coming off a screen. You want to score, you want to make the right pass. But a lot of (times) it’s coming off the screen, making the right play, slowing down when I get in the paint. I love the midrange; I’m working on it all the time. So getting to a bump fade. So I’m just learning how to play in the NBA, and hopefully I’m learning fast.”

Plug-and-play Knecht hasn’t gotten off to a great start, but could very well turn out to be an excellent NBA player.

But through the early parts of the 2024-25 season, McCain isn’t just showing his upside, he’s already helped the Sixers win a game — what they hope will be the first of many.