Jared McCain of the Sixers continues to learn how to get better

Top NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Jared McCain isn’t what anyone expected at this point in the season to be the best Sixers story of the 2024-25 season so far. But it is where we are, and the 20-year-old guard continues to find ways to move the team forward.

After McCain’s unsuccessful seven-game stretch in which he scored at least 20 points in every game and averaged 26.1 points and 4.3 assists on 50.8/45.6/96 shooting splits, he cooled off from the 24th to 20th November 30 for a few games He also returned to the bench for two games – including a surprisingly long layoff in the fourth quarter against Charlotte.

After shooting 2 of 21 from three (and 12 of 41 overall) over a three-game span, he bounced back immediately.

McCain still dropped 17 points in just 21 minutes on 7 of 10 shooting (including 3 of 4 from distance) against the Hornets on Tuesday before scoring 24 on 10 of 17 shooting in a narrow loss to the Magic Wednesday. His performance was also crucial since Paul George and Joel Embiid were out for so long due to injuries.

It’s safe to say that the reigning Rookie of the Month has neither a short lull nor an extended period on the bench in mind. He continues to learn how to be successful in the NBA in a variety of ways.

It’s a good sign for McCain that he can be such a dangerous shooter both with and without the ball. This week against Orlando, it helped that the defenders focused so much attention and blitzing on Tyrese Maxey, allowing McCain to take advantage with quick threes on the spot. McCain also knew this would give him the opportunity to use more shot fakes.

“They blitzed ‘Rese, so I was able to get more open looks,” McCain told reporters after the game as he talked about getting back on track. “And then they didn’t blitz me, so sometimes I was able to get off the screens and hit a three-pointer. And I know they will fail some of my shot fakes, especially towards the end of the game, so I can just kill it. I just stay confident every game.”

McCain excelled at shooting rebounds from inside the arc and driving them to the rim with deft changes of pace, slick footwork and a variety of finishes (such as throws high off the glass) that helped him beat the ball’s talented defenders Magic like Jonathan). Isaac on the edge). But his ability to score off the ball is also obviously a big advantage. And that’s what will fit so well with this Sixers team when they’re actually fully healthy.

He’s so good at shifting, getting off screens quickly, and outsmarting defenders with deft, precise touches and footwork:

But while scoring in different ways undoubtedly helps McCain, the rookie knows not to panic and overcorrect on changes when things aren’t going his way. Whether it’s a break on the bench or a short break from shooting, he knows he can trust that things will bounce back. He wasn’t worried after his recent three-game cold stretch – which is exactly the right attitude.

When asked about his approach to crises after the Magic game, he gave a very level-headed answer.

“I don’t really do anything,” McCain said simply. “People have been asking me that question since high school and I think the worst thing you can do is change something – change something. I’m working too hard on that jump shot. There’s no way I’m changing my routine, anything. It’s just that sometimes the shots don’t come in. That’s just how it is. They are the best defenders in the world, the best players in the world. They’re going to guard you differently every game, so I think we just have to get used to it, know what they’re going to do and take the shots with confidence. Every game will be different. The shot won’t (always) fall, but you have to influence the game in other ways.”

With this confidence and trust in his process, he also maintains a simple mindset and knows he can utilize various scoring tools both inside and outside the arc.

“Just put the ball in the basket,” McCain said when asked about having two good games against the Magic and their third-ranked defense full of athletic, hard-hitting players. “That’s pretty much it. Every time I leave the ball screens I feel like I can either race the ball to the high lay or just step off the screen and look for a shot. I think if we set higher pick-and-rolls, it’s easier to get away quicker. I don’t know what it is, but I’m just trying to put the ball in the basket.”

McCain’s versatile scoring abilities continue to stand out. Aside from his 38.3 percent three-point shooting on six attempts per game this season, he is extremely efficient at making 64.7 percent of his shots within three feet of the basket and making 69 percent of his two-point field goals with no assists – all while making 54.6 percent of those two-point shots. That’s incredibly impressive, especially for a 6-foot-2 rookie who’s only 20 games into his career.

For McCain, however, the NBA is different than college, but in some ways easier. He gets used to certain actions that work for him and gets used to how his opponents operate.

“It’s funny, I don’t feel like it’s more complex,” he said when asked about the complexity of the NBA compared to college. “I feel like the game is easier here. There are simple sets that each team performs. There are different players who play their positions differently, but many of them are the same sets. College is definitely different. I feel like high school and the NBA are more similar. But they’re just the same sets. It is a double drag or regular drag or down screens, pin downs. You just play it off.”

No one saw this level of play in McCain. As a scorer he impressed in many ways, showed real playmaking ability and was clearly one of the Sixers’ best players this season.

The best at times in their normally understaffed state.

If this is just the beginning, it looks like McCain is truly primed to continue exceeding expectations.