Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain hasn’t heard a peep from his superstar teammate Joel Embiid, and quite frankly, he’s nervous about it. In a recent interview on Podcast P with Paul George, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, McCain spoke with his new 76ers teammate about spending time with Sixers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, but he has yet to hear from the 2022-23 NBA MVP and recent gold medalist.
“Not with Joel,” McCain replied when asked if he’d interacted with the seven-time All-Star center. “Maxey, I worked out with him this morning. I went golfing with him. I’ve got to meet Maxey more. I haven’t had any interaction with Joel; I’m a little nervous about that one.”
George, who signed a four-year, $211.5 million contract with the 76ers over the summer, assured the Sixers' 16th overall pick that he and Embiid would get along just fine.
“No, you’ll f*** with Joel, man; Joel is a big kid,” George told McCain. “You’ll f*** with Joel.”
The 14-year veteran then offered overall advice to the incumbent rookie for the 2024-25 campaign.
“Just be authentic, man. We’re going to gravitate around you. You’re going to gravitate around us. It’s a long year; what you will realize is this isn’t college anymore where it’s 30 games,” George explained. “It’s eighty f****** two games, plus playoffs, plus preseason, it’s a long f—ing year. Just be a sponge, man, be yourself. Be a leader as well. Don’t look at it that just because you’re the youngest one on the team, where you’re a rookie that, you can’t lead in the locker room, lead on the court, lead in practice.”
McCain fared well on the court during NBA Summer League. In Las Vegas, he averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 28.2 percent from the floor and three-point range. The rookie also added 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game to his name in a total of five contests in Las Vegas.
Paul George joins Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey on 76ers
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Nearly one year removed from the James Harden fiasco that eventually forced the 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey into trading the disgruntled star to the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia was able to land Paul George, a two-way star, from the same team. After Embiid won his first gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics, the recent NBA MVP will now be the focal point on what should be considered the most talented team he's ever been a part of with the 76ers.
After averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals for the Clippers last year, George continues his career with an opportunity to dethrone the defending champion Boston Celtics alongside Embiid and Maxey. In his fourth season with the Sixers, Maxey also had a spectacular season, averaging 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
It will be interesting to see not only how these three stars bond but also how the talent around them comes together. McCain can absolutely make a difference in his rookie season, and he has three fantastic mentors to learn from every single day. After comparing himself to Stephen Curry, Jalen Brunson, and other great guards around the league, McCain is ready for the challenge of being a key secondary player in Philadelphia.
For many, the trio of Embiid, Maxey, and George are considered to be the biggest threats to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Time will tell whether the 76ers have what it takes to finally break through and make a deep postseason run.
