When he’s not recording TikTok dances or meditating in his room, rookie Jared McCain delights fans on the court and is quickly becoming the league’s newest sensation.

McCain plays on the Philadelphia 76ers and is currently the 4th highest scorer for the team this season. He averages 15.8 points per game, right behind Paul George, who averages 16.0 points per game (as of Dec. 7th). So far, he is the top scorer of all the NBA rookies in the 2024-2025 season.

Here are a few team and NBA records McCain has set and broken through 22 games played this season:

• Set an NBA record for most made three-pointers (24) in his first five career starts.
• Set a franchise record with 37 made three-pointers in his first 15 games, breaking Allen Iverson’s previous record of 34.
• Made at least three 3-pointers in eight consecutive games, setting an NBA rookie record.
• Scored 133 points in his first five starts, the second-most by any player since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.

The numbers speak for themselves—McCain is on a quick road to becoming an NBA star.

“He’s relentless, he’s confident. You don’t see a lot of these qualities in rookies that come in and are just ready. It’s impressive,” said teammate Paul George of McCain.

In addition to his athleticism and skill, Jared has spoken about how working on his inner confidence improves his performance on the court.

When he played the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season (where he scored 30 points), he was seen mouthing, “I’m the rookie of the year” after nailing a three-pointer. In a post-game interview, McCain boosted his self-declared candidacy again.

“Of course,” McCain said.  “… You’d be lying if you think I believe that there’s 15 guys better than me. To have that confidence, you have to go in the NBA and [say], “I’m the best player on the court.”

McCain states that his mental strength and confidence come from his discipline, which is shown through his dedication to waking up at 5:30 every morning to practice yoga, meditate, and journal.

“I meditate every single day, every day,” McCain said. “Especially with the social media hate and just being on the court, it helps me be so calm.”

Jared’s positive mindset and outgoing personality have helped him gain a big following on social media. He currently boasts 4.3 million TikTok followers, where he posts dancing videos with his teammates, passionately sings Drake songs, and talks about gratitude. Jared reveals that when he sees any hateful comments, he blocks them out and continues being his happy self.

“There’s definitely some times during the season where I’m like, ‘Why? Why am I getting hated on?’” McCain said. “All I’m doing is dancing and smiling and just trying to spread some positivity.”

McCain has already won the hearts of many NBA fans, and the 2024-2025 season is still young. As the season progresses, he has the potential to break even more records and gain more success both on and off the court.

Editor’s note: Following the publication of this article, McCain suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee and is out indefinitely following surgery.