Jared McCain was the front-runner to win Rookie of the Year prior to the injury, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds.

Jared McCain had cleared concussion protocol. But when he returned to a Dec. 13 game against the Indiana Pacers and began guarding Pascal Siakam, the 76ers rookie guard felt the pain in his left knee.

"I knew right away that the mental side was probably gonna be the hardest part of it so I definitely took some time away to—I couldn’t—it was hard to watch it a little bit," McCain said on Tuesday. "You just get frustrated at times.