Jared McCain still remembers the jolt of getting real time and real encouragement from Russell Westbrook at the 2022 Peach Jam tournament.
Before McCain ever played his lone season at Duke, he was out at the July 2022 Nike EYBL event suiting up for Westbrook’s “Team Why Not?” AAU squad. He made the most of that stage, scoring 31 points in one of the exhibitions against top high school competition.
Four years later, McCain looked back on that stretch and the impact Westbrook had on him. At 18, he was meeting one of the defining NBA stars of the 2010s, and the moment clearly stuck with him.
"It's pretty crazy. Playing for an NBA player's - an NBA superstar's - team, you never know or expect if they're going to be around much.
They got busy lifestyles," McCain said. "But when he came to Peach Jam at the end of the season, he was out there coaching me.
Really into it and helping me off the court."
That kind of presence left a mark. Westbrook’s guidance gave McCain a boost, and it’s the same kind of support McCain now says he wants to pass along to younger players himself. The connection also feels fitting considering McCain eventually joined the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of the teams tied to Westbrook’s NBA story.
"I can hit him anytime and I know he'll respond," McCain said. "That relationship built from high school.
That's pretty crazy that he was able to do that. It really helps me because that's what I want to do for the youth.
Whatever I can to help players out. Help the youth out.
Influence them in a positive way. He did that for me."
In Other News...
Sam Presti Just Avoided The Roster Drama Another Contender Faces
Restricted free agency can turn into a slow-burn headache for contenders, and Detroit is in the middle of one with Jalen Duren. The Pistons reportedly have a deal on the table worth more than $35 million a year, but nothing is finalized yet, leaving the young big man and the organization in a familiar late-summer stalemate. For a team trying to build momentum, these are the kinds of contract talks that can hang over everything until they get resolved.
Oklahoma City has had a much cleaner path with its own core. Sam Presti and the Thunder already locked up extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, two pieces who helped drive the franchise to the 2025 championship, and that matters in a league where retaining young talent often gets messy fast. It is a reminder that while some contenders are still navigating the uncertainty of who stays and at what price, the Thunder have been able to keep their foundation intact and move on to basketball. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Let Go Of Three Key Pieces And Fans Will Be Watching
The Thunders offseason keeps tilting in a new direction after moving on from three familiar rotation pieces, and it leaves a very different look around the edges of the roster. Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe all found new homes, with each departure carrying a different kind of impact for a team that has spent the past few years valuing defense, versatility and shot-making in its supporting cast.
What makes the situation worth watching is not just what Oklahoma City gave up, but where those players landed and how their next roles may open up. Dort and Wiggins are headed to Atlanta, where both are projected to fill specific needs on the wing, while Joe is moving to Detroit with a path to bench minutes that could matter later in the year if the Pistons lean deeper into their reserve options. [Read more 🡒]
Chet Holmgrens Thunder Future Just Got Dragged Back Into Debate
Chet Holmgrens name is back in the conversation for reasons that have little to do with what he has already done in Oklahoma City and more to do with what usually happens when a team starts edging toward the top of the league. Marcus Thompson of The Athletic recently suggested the Golden State Warriors should keep an eye on Holmgren as a possible trade target for the 2026-27 season, pointing to both his overall production and the Thunders rising payroll picture.
The timing of the speculation is tied to a mixed postseason lens on Holmgren, whose regular season and earlier playoff work strengthened his standing even as his Western Conference Finals showing reopened old questions. Still, the most relevant voice in Oklahoma City has not budged: Sam Presti has made it clear he is not looking to move Holmgren and has described him as one of the teams core pieces, which is why any outside chatter has a long way to go before it becomes anything more than noise. [Read more 🡒]