Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing left knee surgery last month to repair a torn meniscus.
The 20-year-old McCain spent one season at Duke before the Sixers made him their 2024 first-round draft pick. McCain was off to a fantastic start and had averaged 15.3 points in 23 games. He started eight games and was an instant fan favorite in large part to amassing nearly 5 million followers as a TikTok sensation.
The 76ers released the following statement:
Jared McCain was reviewed today by the surgeon who performed surgery on his left knee on Dec. 17. He is progressing well and will be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Further updates on his progress will be provided as appropriate.
McCain earned Eastern Conference rookie of the month honors for November but complained of knee soreness after a Dec. 13 game against Indiana.
McCain has been one of the few highlights for the Sixers, scoring a career-high 34 points in a loss to Cleveland in mid-November. He had scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
Injuries to Philadelphia stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — billed as the team’s “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival — have limited the trio to playing parts of only three games together. As a result, the Sixers have stumbled to a 15-20 start.
Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) and KJ Martin (left foot) have all been ruled out for Friday’s game against New Orleans. George is probable with groin tightness.