Jared McCain Makes Promising Thunder Debut Amid Tough Loss to Rockets
Chet Holmgren talking about Jared McCain’s Thunder debut: “I like what I see from him tonight — he had a really good game…
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 7, 2026
He wasn’t afraid to make mistakes and I don’t really think he made any… I look forward to getting him out there more, building more chemistry with him” pic.twitter.com/5LWXGRCs0b
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t get the result they wanted on Saturday, falling 112-106 to the Houston Rockets. But amid the sting of a second straight loss, the debut of Jared McCain offered a glimpse of something worth watching.
Thrown into the fire just 48 hours after arriving in OKC, McCain suited up for the first time at Paycom Center and made the most of his 14 minutes on the floor. The rookie guard finished with five points, three rebounds, and one assist, but the numbers only tell part of the story. What stood out was how comfortable he looked in a tough situation.
“It's really tough,” said Thunder All-Star forward Chet Holmgren after the game. “We’re already not afforded enough practice time in this league. To show up and be like, ‘Hey, get out there with a new jersey on,’ I think he embraced it.”
Holmgren, who knows a thing or two about adjusting on the fly, was clearly impressed with McCain’s poise and instincts. “He wasn’t afraid to make mistakes-and I don’t really think he made any,” Holmgren added.
“He was in the right spots. He was aggressive.
He made the right play when the defense took his away.”
That’s high praise from one of the Thunder’s cornerstones, and it echoed what head coach Mark Daigneault said postgame.
“He hasn’t been here for more than 48 hours,” Daigneault noted. “That’s a really tough spot, but I thought he did a really good job of just blending into the team, blending into the game.
Mark Daigneault on Jared McCain’s Thunder debut: “Hasn’t been here for more than 48 hours. So, that’s a really tough spot…
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 7, 2026
He was confident and aggressive, but not inappropriately. He looked like he belonged out there in terms of the way we play” pic.twitter.com/F74PIWfegR
He was confident and aggressive, but not inappropriately. He looked like he belonged out there in terms of the way we play.”
McCain’s debut came at a moment when the Thunder needed a spark. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, OKC leaned on its depth to try and keep pace with a Rockets team that brought energy and execution down the stretch. Cason Wallace stepped up with a team-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, and Isaiah Joe added 21, including three from deep.
Still, the Thunder couldn’t quite close the gap late, and Daigneault pointed to execution in the final minutes as a key area that slipped. But even in a loss, the McCain storyline was a bright spot.
When he checked in for the first time, McCain got a standing ovation from the Paycom Center crowd-a welcome that wasn’t lost on the young guard.
“It was amazing,” McCain said after the game. “I gotta watch the video, but I felt the love right when I entered the game.
“It was amazing…I felt the love right when I entered the game…nothing like it”
— The Daniel Bell© (@BasketballGuruD) February 8, 2026
- Jared McCain on his first action as a member of the Thunder & the OKC crowd pic.twitter.com/kUIiUXG2jl
Playing with this group is going to make me better. So, I’m excited.”
There’s still a lot to learn-for McCain and for a Thunder team adjusting to life without its All-Star leader for now. But if Saturday was any indication, McCain’s presence could be a valuable addition to a young core that’s already built on chemistry and confidence.
Jared McCain checks in for his Thunder debut pic.twitter.com/8UdQF2TfWT
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 7, 2026
Oklahoma City will try to snap its two-game skid when it travels to face the Lakers on Monday. If McCain continues to build on this first impression, don’t be surprised if his role keeps growing.