\u201cMcCain only got to do it for about a month while the 76ers were dealing with injuries, but no player flashed more upside as an offensive weapon last season than him. From Nov. 8 until Dec. 4, he averaged 21.7 points, three rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3 and 85 percent from the line in 13 games. And these were games at the beginning of the season when teams were still highly competitive, as opposed to some of the late-season runs we saw after a large portion of teams were out of contention.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Dec 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) and Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) in action at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images \/ Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The 76ers selected McCain with the No. 16 pick in last year\u2019s draft. McCain had an impressive month-long stretch before a season-ending knee injury. The California native was named the NBA Rookie of the Month for November.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In this re-draft, the 21-year-old would be chosen by the Houston Rockets. The Rockets selected Reed Sheppard with the draft\u2019s No. 3 pick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle holds the No. 1 spot in Vecenie\u2019s re-ranking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCastle won the Rookie of the Year award and deserved it. It was a bit of a roller coaster early on for him, as he\u2019d showcase terrific monthlong stretches followed by months when he was a bit less valuable. However, from right around the start of March onward, Castle was tremendous through the end of the year, averaging 19.3 points, 5.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field and drawing six free-throw attempts per game over his final 25 games. <\/p>\n
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Apr 9, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images \/ David Gonzales-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
If McCain was not sidelined for the majority of last season, it’s very likely that he would have been in the mix of contenders for Rookie of the Year. Regardless, he is a valuable part of the 76ers\u2019 rotation. <\/p>\n
More 76ers on SI<\/p>\n
Tyrese Maxey Sends Strong Message on Social Media<\/a><\/p>\n VJ Edgecombe Explains Unique Decision<\/a><\/p>\n Tyrese Maxey Reposts Emotional Video Supporting Joel Embiid<\/a><\/p>\n Sixers Big Man Reacts to 3-Time All-Star\u2019s Viral Post<\/a><\/p>\n