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Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters that rookie Jared McCain was taken to the hospital following Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets after falling hard to the floor late in the fourth quarter.
McCain had trouble breathing after the fall and possibly had the wind knocked out of him, per Nurse. He was also evaluated by the medical staff for a possible concussion.
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Nick Nurse says Jared McCain is on his way to the hospital after a hard fall in the 4th quarter of the Sixers’ preseason game on Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/ed45nVPIMz
“He’s fine,” said Kelly Oubre Jr. told reporters. “It was very scary. He caught himself luckily. He didn’t fall flat on his back. He’s gonna feel it tomorrow. That’s kinda what we were telling him. He’s just gotta kinda take it easy and make sure he’s 100 percent for opening night.”
The Sixers have had a fascinating offseason, with much of the talk centered around the massive free-agency addition of Paul George, creating a talented big three of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers also added a number of solid complementary pieces, giving Embiid arguably the best shot at a title in his career.
The 20-year-old McCain, the team’s No. 16 overall draft pick in this year’s draft, has proven to be a positive addition to that roster over the summer and through training camp, impressing players and coaches alike.
“Probably our best player has been Jared McCain, which is pretty good,” Embiid told reporters during training camp. “… He competes. He is tough, competes, (is) a shot-maker. He has been shooting the ball extremely well; great energy. He has a pretty good chance. I don’t want to put expectations out there, and I got to see more, but so far, he has been good.”
Whether McCain plays a major role this season remains to be seen. The Sixers have Maxey and George starting in the backcourt, while Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon will likely be the first two guards off the bench and Reggie Jackson may also see some run with the reserves.
Still, despite Philadelphia’s glut of guards, McCain—who had nine points and seven rebounds on Wednesday before his nasty spill—looked like a player who might eventually crack the rotation. The team will be hoping Wednesday’s fall didn’t cause a serious injury.
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