When the Philadelphia 76ers assembled a roster starring Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, they probably weren’t expecting rookie Jared McCain to lead the team in points scored through 15 games.

That’s what ended up happening. It’s a fact that reflects a disaster season so far for the Sixers, but that doesn’t mean McCain hasn’t been excellent.

The 16th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft led Philadelphia to a much-needed 113-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, posting 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. That’s not a bad way to improve an early Rookie of the Year case that was already looking strong.

McCain’s night, and recent run as a top scorer for the Sixers, made a number of small pieces of history. He now has

Perhaps most impressive, Friday, was McCain’s seventh straight game with at least 20 points. Every other NBA rookie has combined for a total of 10 such games.

Obviously, none of this was Plan A for the Sixers, who are still only 3-12 after their win over the Nets. McCain is succeeding by inheriting usage that was supposed to go to a trio of All-Star teammates who have still only played three quarters of basketball together due to persistent injury issues.

If/when Embiid, George and Maxey are all healthy again, McCain will likely move to a more complementary role, while still getting shots from the perimeter. But for now, McCain is taking an opportunity and running away with it, and that’s the kind of stuff that can win you Rookie of the Year in a wide-open field.