Just when the Philadelphia 76ers thought the nightmare that was the 2024-25 season was behind them, today’s revelation from the NBA truly brought back some rough memories. Today, the league announced the All-Rookie teams for the season, and despite Philadelphia having three rookies on its roster, it didn’t have a single player selected. Above all, this revelation reminded 76ers fans of what was taken from them in early December.
We won't forget rookie Jared McCain
Throughout the first few months of the season, Jared McCain took the NBA by storm and appeared as the clear-cut Rookie of the Year favorite. In November, he recorded a seven-game stretch where he scored at least 20 points, including a career-high 34 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George in and out of Philadelphia’s lineup, McCain kept it afloat with his head-turning offensive creation.
Tragically, McCain’s rookie campaign came to a premature end against the Indiana Pacers on December 13th, where he tore his meniscus in an attempt to drive to the rim over Andrew Nembhard. McCain played in only 23 games for the 76ers where he posted 15.3 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 38.3% shooting from beyond on 5.8 attempts. While McCain wasn’t snubbed due to limited action this season, it serves as a reminder of what could’ve been in a season where everything went wrong for the 76ers.
Justin Edwards remains overlooked
However, Justin Edwards is a different story. While he didn’t get much of an opportunity throughout the first few months of the season, the undrafted free agent gave 76ers fans a reason to still tune in during their abrupt tank. Edwards displayed encouraging flashes as a 3&D forward with upside as a three-level shot creator. In a 10-game stretch, he notched 17.9 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 42% from beyond, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game, and 1.6 steals per game.
Granted, Edwards received an increased role on a team whose season was lost, but what he showcased can contribute to winning basketball. In total, Edwards played 41 games for the 76ers, where he posted per-game averages of 10.1 points on 55.9% true-shooting. Still, it was likely the limited amount of games that Edwards played that prevented him from receiving this honor. If he played at least 60 games, he might’ve had a chance of making it over the likes of Matas Buzelis.
Despite the disappointment, Philadelphia’s rookies did receive some love from the national media as McCain got one vote for the first team and five votes for the second team, while Edwards received a lone second-place vote.