Jared McCain looks to use the NBA summer league to ‘find my opportunity’ with the Sixers

Proving his worth in the upcoming summer leagues is far from Jared McCain’s focus.

“I just want to find my way on this team,” the 76ers first-round pick said recently. “Find my way, get to know the people around me and learn from everyone.”

Well, he’s about to get his opportunity.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Jared McCain wants to ‘learn everything’ he can from All-Star teammate Tyrese Maxey

The Sixers summer leaguers will practice this weekend in Salt Lake City before competing in the Salt Lake City Summer League on Monday through Wednesday at the Delta Center. Then they’ll fly to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League, which runs July 12-22 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“Obviously, I have the talent to be here, so just try to always be myself,” McCain said. “And when I’m on the court for summer league, going against the people who are drafted in front of me, obviously you have motivation [from] that. But just trying to learn — find my opportunity on this team and learn from the best.”

The Sixers took the 6-foot-2 combo guard with the 16th pick in the NBA draft last week. He was the eighth guard selected despite being one of the class’ best shooters. McCain shot 41.4% on three-pointers while averaging 14.3 points during his one season at Duke.

While being at Duke prepared him for the NBA, the 20-year-old knows there will be plenty of adjustments. One of those is the grueling 82-game NBA regular season. That’s more than double the 36 games the Blue Devils played this past season.

» READ MORE: Sixers rookie Jared McCain isn’t bothered by critics, and won’t change a thing: ‘I’m always going to be myself’

“For me, I’ve always loved the recovery side, the mental side of basketball,” McCain said, “so I think it’s like the ultimate challenge for me. Obviously, it’s like three college seasons in one, four college seasons in one. So, using the meditation, the visualization. When you’re able to visualize your body being healthy, it happens. It truly can change your whole life when you don’t imagine yourself being hurt. … So I’m excited to learn the recovery process.”

But for now, he’s focused on getting up to speed in the summer leagues. Ricky Council IV, second-round pick Adem Bona, former Sixer Tony Bradley, and former NBA players Romeo Langford and R.J. Hampton join McCain as the team’s headliners.

Bradley was selected 28th in the 2017 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and traded to the Utah Jazz. The Sixers acquired Bradley on Nov. 23, 2020, from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Zhaire Smith. Bradley played in 20 games, with eight starts, during the 2020-21 season before being sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a three-team deal on March 25, 2021.

The 26-year-old went on to play 1½ seasons with the Chicago Bulls before signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Dallas Mavericks, who waived and assigned him to their NBA G League team, the Texas Legends.

» READ MORE: Sixers hope draft selection Jared McCain will contribute early and stay in Philly for a long time

The Boston Celtics selected Langford 14th in the 2019 draft. The Celtics traded the shooting guard to the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 10, 2022. After his contract expired at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Langford signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Jazz. He spent this past season as a member of their G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.

Hampton, a good friend of Sixers All-Star Tyrese Maxey, was picked 24th by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020 draft. The combo guard was traded three days later to the Denver Nuggets, who moved him to the Orlando Magic later that season.

Hampton has played 170 games with the Nuggets, Magic, Pistons, and Miami Heat over a four-season span.

The Sixers will open summer league play against the Thunder in the SLC league at 7 p.m. Monday. They’ll face the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. Tuesday and conclude the four-team round-robin league against the Jazz at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

» READ MORE: The Sixers have a bona fide big three. How do they match up across the league?

In Vegas, the Sixers will face the Pistons at 7 p.m. July 13 at the Thomas & Mack Center. They’ll follow up that game with a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers at 8:30 p.m. July 15. The next day, the Sixers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 p.m. in the Cox Pavilion. And their final non-playoff-round game will be against the Spurs at 8:30 p.m. July 19 at Thomas & Mack.