Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jared McCain was asked to name a woman he looks up to for National Women’s Day and was excited to spotlight two influential women in his life. The first was obvious—Mom—but the second related more directly to his basketball career.
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The rookie first mentioned his mother, who he referred to as his number one, and no one was surprised by that answer. But in the world of sport, McCain named Caitlin Clark as an inspiring figure for him.
The 21-year-old owns a signed CC jersey and supports the Fever star’s game. “I’m just excited to see where [Clark’s] career goes,” McCain told the young reporter before reinforcing that his mom still edges her out.
jared mccain when asked what woman he looks up to for international women’s day: “for the basketball space, it’s easy. caitlin clark. i’ve got a signed jersey of hers, i’m excited to see where her career goes.” pic.twitter.com/uR4Fp6mpuF
— cc akgae (@clrkszn) March 8, 2025
McCain has always been a vocal supporter of Clark, who is nearly two years his senior. The guard once rocked a customized Caitlin Clark hoodie during Philly’s road trip to Indiana. He showed off his CC gear with a smile, happy to promote the electric playmaker whenever he can.
During NBA All-Star Weekend, McCain continued to back up his high praise for Clark. When the Rising Stars were asked which WNBA star they would start a franchise with, most landed on the second-year sensation, including McCain, who quickly named Clark as his pick.
NBA rising stars pick Caitlin as their franchise player pic.twitter.com/NTMCon66nb
— correlation (@nosyone4) February 14, 2025
Jared McCain has consistently shown love to women in sports
While the talented rookie clearly has an affinity for Clark’s generational skillset, Jared McCain is no stranger to supporting women’s athletics as a whole. He even donned a “Pay some respect to women’s sports” hoodie before the Sixers took on the Charlotte Hornets on December 3rd.
McCain also credited his mom for his NBA prowess. “I got her thighs, for sure.” he joked. “I credit my mom for all my athletic genes—mostly. Shout-out my dad a little bit.”
The talented scorer also shared how great it was to play for Duke, considering the school also boasted several competitive women’s sports programs.
“Going to Duke, having the elite women’s sports, it was easy to go to and have fun at,” McCain said. “It was close games, the best teams in the country. It’s cool to have other elite athletes to go support.”
McCain has just 23 games as a pro under his belt after suffering a knee injury, but the young guard has already proven to be one of the most vocal advocates for women’s sports in the association.
