Will Jared McCain Be Able to Turn His Sophomore Season Around?

The past 13 months have showcased the highest of highs and the lowest of lows for second-year guard Jared McCain. He went from averaging 15.3 points and being the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award to barely being able to see time on the floor during his second season. What is the reason behind McCain’s rapid descent? Is he going to be able to recover to become the player he showed flashes of during his rookie season?

The 2025-26 season, McCain’s second in the league, was derailed right from the jump. Amidst his recovery from the torn meniscus that cut his rookie season short, McCain suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb during a team workout in September. The thumb injury caused him to miss the rest of training camp and the preseason, valuable time McCain could have used to get his legs back under him.

McCain, after missing the first two weeks of the season, made his season debut on Nov. 4 against the Chicago Bulls. He was ineffective, a sign of how things have would fare for him this season. His first points of the campaign did not come until Nov. 19 against the Toronto Raptors, his fifth game played of the season.

The Philadelphia 76ers then sent McCain down to the G League in the hopes he would gain some confidence. The move seemed to work as McCain, upon returning to Philadelphia, had his best run of the season. In a five-game stretch beginning on Nov. 23, McCain averaged 13.8 points and 1.6 steals while shooting 44.4% from 3-point range.

However, McCain’s success ultimately proved to be short lived. Since early December, McCain’s production waned and he began seeing less time on the floor. Over his last six games, McCain is playing just 7.0 minutes per contest. He also totaled only 47 seconds of time on the floor over the Sixers’ last three games.

The Sixers again sent McCain down to the G League in mid-January. He played one game for the Delaware Blue Coats before being called back up to the Sixers’ roster. In that contest, McCain scored 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting to go with five rebounds and six turnovers.

McCain has looked like a shell of the player he was in his rookie season. He is lacking an explosive first step, leading to an inability to effectively get to the rim. As a result, his shot diet this season has consisted of a lot of difficult layups and mid-range jumpers. McCain is shooting an abysmal 38.2% on shots from inside the arc. His 3-point percentage, which stood at 38.3% during his rookie campaign, has also fallen to a meager 32.3% so far this season.

Will McCain be able to turn his sophomore season around? Any turnaround will begin with his 3-point percentage bouncing back to where it was in his rookie season. McCain, not the most explosive player to begin with, is likely going to continue to struggle generating much scoring from inside the arc. The clearest path to McCain becoming an effective player this season will be hitting his open 3-pointers and playing capable perimeter defense.

However, McCain appears to be nearly out of time when it comes to being given consistent minutes this season. The Sixers have a crowded guard room with the likes of Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes all playing big minutes. With Philadelphia also competing for a playoff spot, head coach Nick Nurse might become less willing to give McCain chances amidst the team’s crowded rotation.

Despite McCain’s struggles this season, the Sixers still believe he is a key piece of the team’s future. Nurse has repeatedly advocated the importance of getting McCain minutes, whether at the NBA level or in the G League, so that he can gain more confidence on the floor. Playing him in short spurts against NBA competition has not led to any consistent positive results this season. Instead of moving him down to the G League for a game or two at a time, the Sixers should give McCain an extended run down in the G League so he can play a lot of minutes and regain his confidence. Regardless of the path the Sixers take with McCain, time is running short for the second-year guard to avoid having this be a completely lost season.