Philadelphia 76ers recruit Jared McCain he has a meniscus tear in his left knee that requires surgery and is expected to be sidelined indefinitely.
McCain, who played for the struggling Sixers earlier in the season, later complained of left knee pain Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers 121-107.
Philadelphia said an MRI performed Saturday showed a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee that required surgery.
McCain, the 16th overall pick out of Duke, is the leading scorer among rookies this season, averaging 15.3 points in his first 23 games. McCain, who is averaging 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists, had five points and three assists in 29 minutes against the Pacers.
According to DraftKings, McCain is the favorite for Rookie of the Year at -165.
Also on Friday against Indiana, Sixers center Joel Embiid he suffered a sinus fracture during a defensive rebound late in the first half of the loss. The team said Embiid, who had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes, would be further evaluated this weekend.
Embiid played in just his sixth of 23 games. He was suffering from swelling in his left knee and was also serving suspension for three matches to physical contact with the reporter.
Injuries to Philadelphia stars Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — dubbed the team’s “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival — limited the trio to playing parts of each other in just three games. As a result, the Sixers started the game with a 7-16 record.
Through it all, McCain was one of the team’s few highlights, scoring a career-high 34 points in a loss to Cleveland in mid-November. The 20-year-old defenseman has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
Associated Press reports.
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