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PHILADELPHIA -- When Jared McCain checked into the game on Monday night as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he received a lot of love and a standing ovation from the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd. He is no longer a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, but the fans sure made him feel like he still is.
McCain, traded to the Thunder at the deadline after 1.5 seasons in Philadelphia, scored 13 points and knocked down three triples as OKC defeated the Sixers 123-103. It was an emotional night for the No. 16 pick of the 2024 draft and things got heightened when he immediately knocked down two triples in his opening minutes which gave the crowd a thrill.
"It was really awesome," McCain smiled after the win. "Even just waking up this morning, there's a lot of anxiety, kind of just about the game, nerves, excitement. So I knew I just had to control what I can control out there. Make a hustle play, and just whenever I get out there, the emotions kind of go away, but it definitely was tough going out there—especially against all my old teammates."
Never one to hide his emotions, McCain knocked down a triple over the outstretched arm of Andre Drummond while falling away in the corner. Seeing a couple of 3s fall while also hearing the cheer of the crowd helped him settle down.
"So hitting those two 3s, a little bit emotion came out there for sure, and just excitement and just blessed to have the opportunity to play basketball again," McCain added. "So grateful for the fans that cheered for me when I came in the game."
Speaking of Drummond, after knocking down the corner 3, McCain was talking a little smack to the 14-year veteran and had to let him know about the tough shot he just made.
"They’re such great guys over there," McCain laughed. "They helped me develop from when I first got in as a rookie, so I always have love for them. There's definitely some jokes there, for sure. Hitting the 3 in Drum’s face. So I just had to say a little something to him, but it's all love."
With that being said, one has to wonder if McCain had a chip on his shoulder. The Sixers trading him was a bit of a surprise the day it happened and it looks even more confusing now when considering how well McCain is playing with the Thunder.
"I think for me, I try not to put that pressure, but it just happens, you know? It's natural," he explained. "When I was meditating this morning. It was a lot of just acceptance of it. It's gonna happen. You're gonna have those feelings. There's that subtle feeling of you want to you want to prove the team wrong that traded you, but you try and just kind of put that away, and you just want to win."
McCain has always been a player focused on winning. He made sure he put that emphasis on getting the win first before anything else, but is still was a satisfying feeling for him to walk out of the Xfinity Mobile Arena with a win.
"At the end of the day, I just wanted to win," he added. "Of course, I wanted to beat the Sixers, of course. But you just want to win and play the right way. I've done this so many times. It’s just a natural ability. Just go out there, play unselfish, be myself out there, play with confidence, but there's always a chip on my shoulder no matter what the game is, and definitely was excited, though, to play the Sixers."
As McCain was walking off the floor after the win, he was receiving an outpouring of love from the fans who were wearing his jersey and wanted to express their love and gratitude for a guy who didn't even play a full 82 games in Philadelphia. That's the type of impact he made on the Sixers.
"I'm always just blessed with that amount of love," McCain finished with his trademark smile. "I really believe in you put good energy out and it comes right back to you, and I really feel like I was able to do that with the Sixers and with the fans, with the organization, and so I'm super grateful that they show it right back and right when I'm going out, out of the tunnel, just just an outpour of love. It’s really awesome to be a part of and to feel and I'm just so grateful that I get to give it back to him as well."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Jared McCain opens up on Philly return after Thunder beat Sixers
Continue reading...
McCain, traded to the Thunder at the deadline after 1.5 seasons in Philadelphia, scored 13 points and knocked down three triples as OKC defeated the Sixers 123-103. It was an emotional night for the No. 16 pick of the 2024 draft and things got heightened when he immediately knocked down two triples in his opening minutes which gave the crowd a thrill.
"It was really awesome," McCain smiled after the win. "Even just waking up this morning, there's a lot of anxiety, kind of just about the game, nerves, excitement. So I knew I just had to control what I can control out there. Make a hustle play, and just whenever I get out there, the emotions kind of go away, but it definitely was tough going out there—especially against all my old teammates."
Never one to hide his emotions, McCain knocked down a triple over the outstretched arm of Andre Drummond while falling away in the corner. Seeing a couple of 3s fall while also hearing the cheer of the crowd helped him settle down.
"So hitting those two 3s, a little bit emotion came out there for sure, and just excitement and just blessed to have the opportunity to play basketball again," McCain added. "So grateful for the fans that cheered for me when I came in the game."
Speaking of Drummond, after knocking down the corner 3, McCain was talking a little smack to the 14-year veteran and had to let him know about the tough shot he just made.
"They’re such great guys over there," McCain laughed. "They helped me develop from when I first got in as a rookie, so I always have love for them. There's definitely some jokes there, for sure. Hitting the 3 in Drum’s face. So I just had to say a little something to him, but it's all love."
With that being said, one has to wonder if McCain had a chip on his shoulder. The Sixers trading him was a bit of a surprise the day it happened and it looks even more confusing now when considering how well McCain is playing with the Thunder.
"I think for me, I try not to put that pressure, but it just happens, you know? It's natural," he explained. "When I was meditating this morning. It was a lot of just acceptance of it. It's gonna happen. You're gonna have those feelings. There's that subtle feeling of you want to you want to prove the team wrong that traded you, but you try and just kind of put that away, and you just want to win."
McCain has always been a player focused on winning. He made sure he put that emphasis on getting the win first before anything else, but is still was a satisfying feeling for him to walk out of the Xfinity Mobile Arena with a win.
"At the end of the day, I just wanted to win," he added. "Of course, I wanted to beat the Sixers, of course. But you just want to win and play the right way. I've done this so many times. It’s just a natural ability. Just go out there, play unselfish, be myself out there, play with confidence, but there's always a chip on my shoulder no matter what the game is, and definitely was excited, though, to play the Sixers."
As McCain was walking off the floor after the win, he was receiving an outpouring of love from the fans who were wearing his jersey and wanted to express their love and gratitude for a guy who didn't even play a full 82 games in Philadelphia. That's the type of impact he made on the Sixers.
"I'm always just blessed with that amount of love," McCain finished with his trademark smile. "I really believe in you put good energy out and it comes right back to you, and I really feel like I was able to do that with the Sixers and with the fans, with the organization, and so I'm super grateful that they show it right back and right when I'm going out, out of the tunnel, just just an outpour of love. It’s really awesome to be a part of and to feel and I'm just so grateful that I get to give it back to him as well."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Jared McCain opens up on Philly return after Thunder beat Sixers
Continue reading...
