Sixers' Jared McCain, cleared to make his NBA debut, is ‘back to normal’ after a scare

Jared McCain says he feels great now.

“It was definitely a few days where I was struggling,” the 76ers rookie said with a smile Wednesday morning. “But now I feel back to normal.”

McCain suffered bruising in his lungs in hard fall last week in an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Nets. After resting for several days, McCain was cleared to make his NBA debut Wednesday in the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.

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“This is what I’ve been waiting for literally my whole life,” McCain said. “You can start with the preseason, getting drafted. Everything leads up to this moment. So a lot of excitement. But I definitely have to calm it down and make sure I know the game plan and know what’s going on tonight.”

As a way to ensure he’s locked in, McCain met with assistant coach Brian Gates after shootaround to go over more of the defensive game plan. Then he planned to go back to his residence, take a nap, watch game film, and put on his compression boots. The 20-year-old was also scheduled to talk to his sports psychologist at 1 p.m.

But the Sixers had a scare when he landed awkwardly with 4 minutes, 1 second left in last Wednesday’s game.

McCain landed flat on his back and immediately rolled on his left side. He kept leaning forward in an attempt to get up, but he couldn’t budge.

“They say it’s like having the wind knock out of me,” McCain said. “But I’ve had that before. You can kind of get up after a few seconds. It felt a little bit more in that moment.”

After going into the arena’s evaluation room, he headed to the hospital for further evaluation and was discharged early the next morning.

“When I fell, I didn’t feel anything in my back,” McCain said. “It went straight to my chest. I only felt pain in my chest.”

The Sixers thought that he hit his head, so McCain went through concussion protocol even though his head wasn’t bothering him.

“So I took a few days of rest,” he said. “I feel like I needed it. The universe was telling me something. So I feel almost better now.”

McCain returned to practice on Monday and did everything expected of him in the five-on-five scrimmage. He was cleared to play Tuesday evening.

The rookie guard had been going nonstop since the start of training camp after playing for the Sixers‘ summer league team in early July. The former Duke standout worked out in California, at the Sixers’ practice facility, and in Durham, N.C., this summer.

Wednesday’s game marks the start of Eric Gordon’s 17th NBA season. That’s a gratifying accomplishment for the guard who turns 36 on Christmas Day.

“It’s all about adjusting,” Gordon said. “You know, when I first came into the league, I never thought I would play 17. But I always imagined having a good career. And it’s all about being ready, preparing and keeping your body right, mind right, and focusing on loving the game.”

He signed with the Sixers on July 10. The veteran swingman has averaged 15.7 points in 886 games with the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns.

The Sixers used variations of the starting lineup during the preseason to account for injuries and rest. That could continue to be a theme early in the season while Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise) remain sidelined.

“Well, I think we’re at a point now where the job is to win the game at hand,” coach Nick Nurse said. “So I think matchups really matter. What are you facing? What kind of size do you need out there? What kind of shooting do you need out there? What kind of game plan can get executed? So mostly, try to figure out a way to scratch out a win. And then keep adjusting from there.”