Jared McCain's Meteoric Rise in the NBA

The 2024-25 NBA Rookie Race is starting to get a little heated with all of the promising performances from various rookies all over the league. However, it is worth noting that above these blazing games from certain freshmen, Philadelphia 76ers’ Jared McCain continues to be in the spotlight as he continues to come up with impressive games night in and night out, further solidifying his claim on the ROTY’s top spot.

Why is Jared McCain Getting a Bigger Hype?

Considering the fact that he’s playing alongside Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey – two all-stars who have made their name in the league, McCain is still getting the big minutes, the needed touches, and the explosive performances that are shockingly good for a rookie on a contender squad. That is what makes McCain stand out in his games so far, and that says a lot about his big game for the team.

The Jared McCain NBA Draft stocks weren’t really that high when draft night came, and he wasn’t even hyped for most of the offseason – even when the Draft Combine came rolling. Though he was seen as a five-star recruit and one of the unique talents in the 2023 Class, McCain would ultimately be passed up in the top 10 and even in the lottery – until the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the 16th overall pick.

The Jared McCain hype is real, and we're all aboard for the ride image

So far, his importance on the court has been met with a lot of success, and the guard has been able to meet – and even exceed expectations when it mattered most. For most of his games, he’s been in the starting role, and it cannot be denied that he has stepped up well in most of the games where Philly has opted to sit out its main stars. When they play, McCain still finds a way to thrive and come up with big numbers – impacting the squad’s rotation to a whole new level.

Suffice to say, McCain has been on a roll this season, and one can say that he has become quite a rising icon among rookies – and is certainly becoming the hot pick to win the Rookie of the Year Award now more than ever.

By the Numbers: Is Jared McCain a Standout Rookie this Season?

Of course, no one would believe us if we said that McCain is the main pick to win the ROTY without supporting evidences. However, if you just take a peek on the NBA’s latest rookie ladder, you’ll see that our claims are all backed by proper statistics that will ensure that you can make the best bets on him as well.

If you are keen on betting combos, then make sure to visit GambleSpot’s Parlay and Odds Calculator so you can get a grasp of the potential winnings that you can get when you wager on McCain to win the ROTY and even become an All-Star, and many more!

NBA 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Award Odds (Updated as of December 10, 2024)

Rank	Player, Team	Best Odds to Win
1	Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers	-160
2	Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers	+275
3	Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs	+650
4	Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks	+1600
5	Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies	+2500

McCain's numbers are promising than most people think image

As of the time of writing, McCain is projected to be the big winner for the ROTY by the end of the season. That is, of course, considering that he continues to play at the same high-level that he is coming up with right now. We all know how the Rookie of the Year Race has been fun to watch in the past few years, and make no mistake, McCain is making a strong case to consider here.

Let’s dive into the stats. Among all rookies who have played at least 20 games into the season, only six of them have averaged more than 10 points per game. If you want to get more specific, Jared McCain is the only player to average 15 points or more among all of these rookies, and that says a lot about the value that he offers for the team at this point in time, considering that the Sixers are sometimes playing without its best stars.

NBA 2024-25 Rookie PPG Leaders (Min. 20 games, updated as of Dec. 10, 2024)

Rank	Player, Team	Total Games Played	Points per Game	Field Goal %
1	Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers	22	15.8	46.3%
2	Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs	24	12.1	38.6%
3	Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks	25	11.6	40.8%
4	Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies	25	11.5	45.2%
5	Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers	24	11.0	46.9%
6	Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards	20	10.6	38.3%

If you told bettors back then that the Jared McCain Draft stocks would be legit, they would have wagered on him to win the ROTY even before the season began. At this point, McCain is on a scoring tear, and that says a lot about the opportunities he’s getting so far with the way he has performed at a high level now more than ever. If he’s expected to win the ROTY, I don’t really see a reason why he shouldn’t.

Is Jared McCain a Bigger Personality Among Rookies?

Well, there’s not much of a buzz around McCain’s chances of winning the ROTY this season than there was back when both Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren were gunning for the same award last season. He may not be the son of LeBron James who continuously sits on the Lakers bench but does not really contribute much nor plays big minutes, but McCain is indeed becoming a promising personality among rookies so far.

It is worth noting that McCain has gained some attention over the past few months – ever since he began his rookie season with an explosive presence. Let’s take a look at his exploits.

Filipino Heritage

Jared McCain's Filipino heritage is a viral topic among fans image

Upon his explosive games, McCain came up with a statement to shout out to his Asian Heritage, referring to the Philippines and saying that he’s at least “10% Filipino”. While this may not be much for everyone to talk about, but next to Americans, Filipinos are the biggest fans of the NBA.

We have seen a lot of known players to declare their Filipino blood, with the latest being Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green – and let’s not forget Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson, who even played for the Philippines with the Gilas Pilipinas when they hosted the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, it is worth noting that Jared McCain parents are both American, so maybe we’ll trace the Filipino blood further down the line?

Painting Nails

McCain was already known for painting his nails even in college image

Of course, some of the trending queries about the Sixers star are “is Jared McCain gay?” and “Jared McCain nails”. It is worth noting that Jared McCain used to paint his nails back before he played March Madness games, and while it may look very sus, the former Duke star explained that it has been a long-time hobby of his – to prevent him from actually biting his nails. So far, this has been helpful as we’ve not seen him bite his nails whenever he has nail polish on – and spoiler alert, it is not the reason Jared McCain’s girlfriend Sydney Williams reportedly broke up with him.

"So, I just like getting the color and it's always been myself. I've always been big on just being yourself in any situation possible,” McCain said of his decision to put on nail polish in an interview, which can be seen tagged to his Jared McCain TikTok account. “And never letting somebody tell you what, what you can and can't be. So doing the painted nails is kind of a part of me now. I just kind of do it whether I get to hate or not."

Can Jared McCain Become a Promising Star in the NBA?

Jared McCain is one of the budding performers in the NBA, and he is progressing well as of late. This says a lot about how he is becoming quite an elite player to watch now more than ever. At this point, one can say that the Sixers guard is due for a promising future in the game, and we are all witnessing his greatness on the rise now more than ever.

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