NBA veteran sends stern warning to struggling 76ers guard

Michael Kaskey-Blomain

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NBA veteran sends stern warning to struggling 76ers guard image

Jared McCain’s second season in the NBA hasn’t been especially smooth.

The Duke product has struggled to return to form following knee and thumb surgeries, and he has recently fallen out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rotation entirely. He hasn’t played a single second in three out of Philly’s past four games, and he played just a single minute in the fourth.

Eddie Johnson urges Jared McCain to cut back on TikTok amid struggles 

On the season, McCain is averaging just 6.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.7 minutes per performance. 

Amid McCain’s struggles, NBA veteran Eddie Johnson provided a stern warning to the young player regarding his social media usage. McCain is a noted TikToker who frequently posts dancing-themed content on the app, but Johnson would like to see him fall back from posting. 

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"Calm down with TikTok dude, Johnson warned on NBA Today. "Because now it turns into a negative, because people will say, ‘You’re just interested in doing your Tiktok instead of working on your game.’ I know somebody is saying that to him, but he better listen.

"You got away with it last year. You’re not going to get away with it now if they’re sending you to the G League, and they’re saying, ‘Oh, your concentration is on all your followers and making a name for yourself on TikTok.’ It can turn against you, and I hope that he backs off." 

In fairness to Johnson, this could be a generational thing. Social media wasn’t around when he played 17 seasons in the league and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1989, so it’s more foreign to him.

To players today, it’s second nature. And  just because McCain posts on social media doesn’t mean that he isn’t working on his game. He can do both things. But, to Johnson’s point, the optics aren’t great when you’re struggling mightily on the court and then dancing in videos off of it.

At the end of the day, McCain can do whatever he wants. But, following Johnson's advice, taking a break from social media and really locking in on his craft could be beneficial.

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