The Philadelphia 76ers will have to open the 2025-26 season without one of their most promising young guards. The team announced that Jared McCain has suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb and will miss the start of the year.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 25, 2025
This is the second straight season McCain has been sidelined by injury. The 21-year-old was an early Rookie of the Year frontrunner before a torn meniscus in December cut his rookie campaign short. Now, just as the Sixers looked poised to unleash him alongside Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, and No. 3 pick V.J. Edgecombe, another setback has arrived.
The organization confirmed the diagnosis Thursday, noting that a torn UCL in the thumb typically carries a recovery timeline of “about a month.” The injury is not expected to cost McCain an extended stretch, but it will delay his sophomore debut.
McCain had impressed immediately last year before going down. In 29 games, he averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. His scoring punch and floor spacing gave Philadelphia’s backcourt a new dynamic, and the franchise was counting on him to take another leap in Year 2.
Off the court, McCain has also carved out a presence. He went viral last season when a team photo made it look like he was about to bench press 10-pound weights. McCain leaned into the moment, joking with fans by posting a video of himself curling a 2.5-pound dumbbell. That humor made him a fan favorite, but his latest injury is no laughing matter for a Sixers team hoping to contend in the East.
The Sixers’ path to the top of the conference hinges on staying healthy. With Joel Embiid and Maxey anchoring the lineup, Philadelphia has the firepower to compete, but McCain’s continued development was seen as a critical piece. His return should come early in the season — provided recovery goes as expected.
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