Jared McCain didn’t just show up to the NBA Celebrity 3-Point Contest-he owned it.
On a night built for entertainment and viral moments, the Oklahoma City Thunder rookie reminded everyone that there’s a major difference between making shots on TikTok and knocking them down under the lights. McCain, fresh off a trade from the 76ers, stepped into the Intuit Dome and put on a shooting clinic that left the rest of the field playing catch-up from the opening rack.
Jared McCain beats PlaqueBoyMax in the NBA Celebrity 3-Point Contest
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) February 14, 2026
pic.twitter.com/zwm1f0IeUF
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t your typical celebrity contest. Sure, the lineup had its fair share of social media stars and entertainers-streamer PlaqueBoyMax, comedian Druski, and even Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams were in the mix-but from the moment McCain started letting it fly, it was obvious we were watching a pro in his element.
McCain’s stroke was smooth, confident, and efficient-everything you’d expect from a guy hitting 38.3 percent from three in real NBA action. He moved through the racks with the kind of rhythm you only get from thousands of reps in real game situations. While others were adjusting to the lights and the pressure, McCain looked like he was back in a Thunder shootaround, calmly draining jumper after jumper.
The rest of the field? Let’s just say it was more about the entertainment than the execution.
Druski gave fans a few laughs with a form that was more stand-up routine than shooting motion, and Caleb Williams-who’s got a cannon for an arm but not quite the same range with a basketball-landed at the bottom of the leaderboard behind the comedians. It was fun, it was lighthearted, but it also made McCain’s performance stand out even more.
Since arriving in Oklahoma City, the 21-year-old has been nothing short of impressive. He’s averaging 9.3 points in his first stretch of games and shooting over 42 percent from deep with the Thunder.
That’s not just solid-that’s a guy who’s finding his groove in a hurry. And on Friday night, he brought that same rhythm and confidence to a contest that suddenly felt a little unfair.
Fans online weren’t shy about pointing it out either. Some joked that letting a current NBA player into a celebrity contest was basically using a cheat code-and honestly, it’s hard to argue. McCain didn’t just win; he raised the bar heading into All-Star Saturday night, putting pressure on the league’s best shooters to follow up with something special.
Jared McCain might be new to the league, but he’s already showing he belongs-not just on a roster, but in the conversation when it comes to lights-out shooters. Friday night was supposed to be a fun sideshow. Instead, it turned into a showcase.