76ers share bad news about rising star

Nov 22, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) smiles as he looks on during a break in the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

One of the Philadelphia 76ers’ top young players will now be out of commission until 2025-26.

The 76ers announced Thursday that rookie guard Jared McCain is out for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. The team adds that McCain is “progressing well” though and will have further updates given on his status as is appropriate.

The 20-year-old McCain, Philadelphia’s No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 draft, underwent surgery last month after being diagnosed with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. The 76ers originally stated at the time that he would be out indefinitely but have now updated that to reflect that McCain’s season is officially over.

McCain had been playing extremely well at the time of his injury and looked like a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. He was averaging 15.3 points per game on 48/38/88 shooting splits and had served as one of Philadelphia’s more reliable scoring threats with his surprisingly mature offensive game. But now, McCain, who is also known for his TikTok dances, will not be able to help out the 15-20 76ers for the rest of the year.