Philadelphia 76ers Rookie Jared McCain Taken to Hospital After ‘Rough’ Fall During Game: ‘Hope He’s Okay'

The former Duke standout was having trouble breathing after falling hard on his back, head coach Nick Nurse said

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain was hospitalized after a frightening fall during a preseason game on Wednesday night.

McCain, 20, was having difficulty breathing after he fell hard on his back while going up for a rebound in the fourth quarter of the 76ers’ preseason matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, according to The New York Times and CBS Sports.

Referees immediately paused the game to check on McCain, who laid on the ground wincing after falling directly on his back. In video from the incident, his head made contact with the floor. The 76ers rookie was able to walk off the floor after a few moments, and team trainers tended to him for several minutes on the bench.

The Times reported that McCain “could be heard coughing and was seen clutching his chest” as trainers evaluated him.

The 76ers later said that McCain was being evaluated for a concussion at a local hospital, NBA reporter Kyle Neubeck shared on social media.

The athlete was diagnosed with pulmonary contusions (bruising in the lungs), and is now recovering at home, a representative for the 76ers tells PEOPLE.

"Jared McCain was discharged from the hospital early this morning and is at home resting," the spokesperson says. "He will be further evaluated later today and an update will be provided as appropriate."

Related: NBA Rookie Jared McCain Says He’ll ‘Definitely’ Paint His Nails for Debut Game: ‘It's a Necessity’ (Exclusive)

After the game, the team’s veteran head coach Nick Nurse told reporters that he had “never quite seen” a fall like McCain’s and that he was waiting for a report from the hospital about how the rookie from Duke was doing.

"It was rough," Nurse said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. "He's going to the hospital to get checked out. Obviously he was having some trouble breathing, thought maybe he got the wind knocked out of him. But not sure there. [I've] never quite seen [a fall] like that one before, so let's hope he's okay, and we'll see what the report is from the hospital."

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McCain was drafted No. 16 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. He played one year at Duke, where he averaged 14.3 points last season. The rookie is expected to start the season coming off the bench for the 76ers, who finished seventh place in the Eastern Conference last season and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

McCain has averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 rebounds over five preseason games.

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