NBA Rookie of the Month awards go to two Sacramento-born players. Who do they play for?
Two Sacramento natives earned NBA Rookie of the Month honors on Tuesday.
Jared McCain of the Philadelphia 76ers was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November. Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month.
McCain, 20, and Wells, 21, were born six months apart in Sacramento. McCain, whose family relocated to Southern California, attended Centennial High School before signing with Duke. Wells starred at Folsom High School before going on to Sonoma State and Washington State.
Philadelphia selected McCain with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 16.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 44.8% from the field, 36.4% from 3-point range and 90.6% at the free-throw line.
Memphis selected Wells with the 39th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 draft. The 6-8 forward is averaging 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 45.9% from the field, 39.6% from 3-point range and 77.1% at the free-throw line.
McCain was a two-time California Gatorade Player of the Year at Centennial. He was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2023. He chose Duke after receiving offers from Gonzaga, Kansas and Houston, among others.
Wells was The Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro Player of the Year after averaging 26.3 points per game as a senior at Folsom. He transferred to Washington State after being named California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year during his sophomore season at Sonoma State.
