Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain finds himself grappling with unforeseen challenges after an impressive start to his NBA career. McCain, drafted as the 16th pick from Duke, had his promising season abruptly curtailed due to a left knee injury. The dynamic guard, who averaged 15.3 points on 46% shooting, including 38.3% from beyond the arc, and 2.6 assists in 23 games, suffered a torn meniscus during a game against the Indiana Pacers on December 13.
The road to recovery began for McCain with surgery on December 17. Despite the efforts, team doctors ruled him out for the remainder of the season after a follow-up evaluation on January 9. Prior to his injury, McCain had been making waves in the league, earning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for November and being selected for the Rising Stars Challenge. This recognition came as a surprise to McCain, who had not anticipated his eligibility given his situation.
"It's obviously been one of my goals to be in that game, and I didn't know if I was eligible or not to even be in it," McCain expressed about the Rising Stars Challenge.
In a show of support and camaraderie, Sixers' star player Joel Embiid reached out to McCain post-surgery. Their conversation provided McCain with much-needed encouragement and advice on navigating through this challenging period.
"He wanted to just know what I was doing, what really had happened, and just told me kind of how to get through it and just help me with that," McCain recounted of Embiid's call.
To cope with his injury and maintain his mental well-being, McCain has incorporated daily mental exercises into his routine. He dedicates time to journaling, extended meditation sessions, and visualizing a healthy knee to bolster his recovery process.
"I do my journal. I now meditate for longer. I visualize for longer visualizing a healthy knee," McCain shared.
Beyond mental exercises, McCain is making productive use of his downtime by embracing new skills. He has taken up learning to play the piano and is brushing up on his Spanish language skills, turning his injury-induced hiatus into an opportunity for personal growth.
Looking ahead, McCain's participation in the Rising Stars Challenge at the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco next month will see him take the court alongside a pool of talented sophomores and players from the G League. This event offers him a chance to shine despite the season setback and further establish his presence in the league.
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