No more playing! Thumb ligament tear! NBA's strongest rookie suffers second major injury

Jared McCain has sustained a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right thumband Philadelphia is collaborating with medical specialists to decide on the appropriate treatment for him.

Earlier this January, McCain experienced a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee, which cut his 24-25 season short.

Suffering two severe injuries within a year suggests either bad luck or some misfortune surrounding Philadelphia.

Born on February 20, 2004, McCain was the 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft’s first round. Standing 1.91 meters tall, he is a versatile guard. In his rookie season last year, he played 23 games with 8 starts, averaging 25.7 minutes, 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. His shooting percentages were 46%, 38.3%, and 87.5%. He frequently topped the rookie rankings but unfortunately missed out on the Rookie of the Year award due to not meeting the minimum 65 games played requirement.

The 24-25 Rookie of the Year went to Spurs guard Kastle, the 4th overall pick in the 2024 draft, who appeared in 81 games with 47 starts, averaging 26.7 minutes, 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 42.8%, 28.5%, and 72.4% from the field.

Back to the main point, since McCain’s return date is uncertain, he will miss at least part of the early 25-26 season, which is a heavy blow for Philadelphia. However, this opens up an opportunity for the 2025 third pick Edgecum to rise quickly.

Like McCain, Edgecum is also a versatile guard, but at 1.96 meters tall with a 2.02-meter wingspan, he can also swing to the small forward position. In this summer league, he averaged 21.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, shooting 41.5%, 15.4%, and 77.8%. His physical gifts and offensive skills are outstanding, though his shooting still has significant room for improvement.

Considering the Eastern Conference is quite weak next season, as long as Philadelphia keeps its roster healthy, especially the Big Three playing consistently, they definitely have a chance to make a strong impact and at least secure a playoff spot.

Last season, George, Embiid, and Maxey combined only played 112 regular-season games...