New Thunder guard Jared McCain shares his surprising journey to Oklahoma City and his immediate excitement for this team's dynamic.
Jared McCain’s first day in front of the Thunder media felt less like a formal introduction and more like the beginning of a transition that is still very much in motion. For McCain, it was his first real opportunity to meet his new teammates, talk with them, and get on the floor for a practice after being traded just days ago.
There was a mix of excitement and adjustment in his voice, the reality of a new city and a new team settling in alongside the opportunity ahead.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault spoke before McCain and emphasized that while McCain is new to the roster, he isn’t entirely new to the organization. The Thunder spent significant time with him during the draft process, and that familiarity helped lay a foundation as he begins this next chapter with how tough a midseason move can be.
“Yeah, I mean more so his familiarity with us and he spent time with us like I said in the draft process,” Daigneault said.
“So it’s not the first time we spent time with him. Which is always good relationally but you know the thing I think gets lost in the excitement and theatrics of the trade deadline is like these are human beings that like live in houses or apartments or condos in a different city. They’re on a different team and there’s a ton of uncertainty around the deadline. In his case, he’s playing for Philadelphia a few days ago and then all of a sudden he’s uprooted from that in a new city, needs to find a place to live new teammates. It’s very you know, destabilizing for a person, you know. I think we forget that around the deadline. So, you know, it’s all also part of the business and we understand that so we prioritize trying to get him on the ground comfortable, don’t skip steps, let things happen organically and see where things go rather than trying to like, like accelerate anything or speed anything up and then let it evolve from there and that’s how we do.”
Daigneault’s words framed the day not just as a basketball move, but as a human one. The Thunder’s approach seems to be about comfort and patience, allowing McCain to ease into his surroundings rather than forcing an accelerated adjustment.
McCain echoed that sentiment when asked about the value of having even a small level of familiarity with the organization and the building. Even one previous visit, he said, made a difference.
“It’s really beneficial. I mean even just being here one time it just helped a little bit. Just knowing where stuff is, and still don’t know where a lot of stuff is in this building. But we’re getting used to it a little bit but just even just a little bit of familiarity was great.”
That comfort hasn’t erased the shock of the trade itself though. McCain was candid about how unexpected the moment was when he found out he was headed to Oklahoma City saying he had no idea it was coming.
“No, not at all, McCain said when asked if he had any indication he was on the move.
“I was, we were all on the bus to, we were on the bus to the airport and I just got a call and I had no, no feeling, no. I didn’t think it was gonna happen, to be honest, there was nothing. And I got the call and just went and told everybody. I went to Tyrese first and it was pretty emotional.”
The suddenness of it all is something he’s still working through. When asked whether he’s had time to process the move, McCain was honest about the emotional balance he’s trying to strike saying,
“I think I’m still like, I allow myself to feel all the emotions, it’s natural. Give myself grace to this process, but you move quick. I touched down in LA and then had to come straight here. So it’s a little bit of both. I think it’s a balance you gotta work through, but I’m definitely still going through it and still trying to cope with it.”
On the basketball side, though, McCain’s excitement about his fit with the Thunder was clear. His shooting and playmaking are what initially stand out, but his mindset is rooted in versatility and willingness.
“I think just what I can bring, you know, whether it’s relief and shooting whether it’s in, really anything the coach wants, I think that’s that’s the main thing coach has been talking about. Just he feels I can fit in with this team and you know, whatever whatever that looks like whatever it is, I’m willing to do and I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
By the end of the session, McCain came across as grounded, thoughtful, and eager to get to work. He carries himself like a genuinely good kid, one who understands both the emotional weight of being traded and the opportunity in front of him.
With his excitement about fitting in and the Thunder’s patient approach to his integration, the hope now is to see him take the floor as soon as tomorrow against the Rockets, the next step in what already feels like a meaningful new beginning in Oklahoma City.