The Sixers announced via social media that rookie guard Jared McCain underwent surgery to address a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb. The organization noted that he will be reexamined in roughly four weeks to assess his recovery progress.
This development follows earlier reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania (Sept. 27) indicating that McCain was expected to have thumb surgery, sidelining him for an estimated four-to-six weeks.
Just days before that, on September 25, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps revealed that McCain had sustained the injury during a workout the previous Thursday. The Sixers later issued a formal statement confirming the diagnosis.
For Philadelphia, the injury represents yet another setback in a string of health-related challenges.
The franchise has struggled with player availability in recent years, most notably in the 2024/25 season, when a roster beset by absences stumbled to a 24-58 record despite making several major financial commitments during the 2024 offseason.
McCain’s situation is miserable on a personal level. Selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, he quickly established himself as one of the more promising rookies in the league.
Before a torn lateral meniscus derailed his year in his left knee – an injury that required surgery and ended his season in December – McCain had averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds across 23 appearances (25.7 minutes per game), while shooting an impressive 46% from the field, 38.3% from three-point range, and 87.5% from the free-throw line.
His early performance made him a legitimate Rookie of the Year contender before the knee injury cut his momentum short.
Earlier this month, McCain voiced confidence that he would be fully healthy in time for the opening of training camp. With the Sixers’ media day scheduled for tomorrow, the timing of this latest surgery is particularly frustrating.
Citing data from InStreetClothes.com, PHLY Sports’ Derek Bodner reported that NBA players who suffer in-season UCL tears generally miss an average of 7.5 weeks.
If that timetable holds, McCain would be expected to return sometime in late November.
One additional storyline to monitor is how this setback might influence Philadelphia’s ongoing negotiations with restricted free agent guard Quentin Grimes.
Reports suggest that the two parties remain “very far apart” as the October 1 qualifying offer deadline approaches, and McCain’s absence could potentially affect how the Sixers choose to handle backcourt depth.
The Sixers' Jared McCain underwent thumb surgery on Tuesday: https://t.co/kBSxM629hs pic.twitter.com/86qiwtt45N
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 1, 2025
