PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain was able to finally see a couple of buckets fall in Wednesday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors. After missing the first 10 shots of the season that he took, McCain had a nice move on Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley before pulling up for the mid-range look.
McCain then threw his arms up in the air and had a look of elation on his way back on defense in celebration of finally getting a shot to fall. It has been a long road back for the second-year guard out of Duke, between the torn meniscus in his left knee, the torn UCL in his right thumb, and a G League stint, and he was just happy to see one finally drop for him.
“It was just, you know, pure joy,” McCain smiled. “Just nice to see a shot go in on the Sixers floor. My friends already sent me the picture of what I look like. It was funny, but just good to see one go down.”
Jared McCain’s reaction after his first bucket of the season. 🤣
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— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 20, 2025
One has to wonder if it was a sense of relief for McCain. He had gotten off to such a strong start as a rookie before laterally tearing the meniscus in his left knee and then got off to a tough start in his second season as he works his way back into things. Coach Nick Nurse has tinkered with different looks to find a way to get him going, but the 2024 No. 16 pick out of Duke trusts his work and knows what he can do.
“A little bit,” McCain said when asked if it was a relief for him. “Not really. I knew it was going to come when it needed to, but when a shot goes down, it’s a very nice feeling.”
Of course, it helps McCain that he doesn’t have to deal with a bulky brace on his left knee anymore. It is more so about making sure he works his way through the incrediwear that he is using now on his left knee. It has allowed him to be a bit more stable in an effort to bring back his mobility with the ball in his hands.
“I mean, even just the move I did just to get to that shot,” McCain explained. “That’s one of my favorite shots, too, just a bump mid, and I think my leg felt great going that way, and still getting used to it a little bit, but I think it’s definitely a great step.”
The Sixers will look to keep McCain moving in the right direction as they move forward in the 2025-26 season.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers’ Jared McCain discusses finally knocking down shots vs. Raptors
