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Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jared McCain is the poster boy for the new generation of NBA players. McCain is a TikTok star and has worn nail polish since his high school playing days. That hasn’t exactly sat well with every NBA fan or former players, who believe that McCain isn’t manly enough or lacks focus on basketball.
But the haters will have to get over it. Not only did McCain establish himself as one of the league’s best rookies before tearing his meniscus last season, but he’s also doubled down on the charisma. McCain, 21, announced on his TikTok account Friday that he is set to release his own line of nail polish.
The line is a partnership with the Sally Hansen brand, which was founded in 1946 by the American actress and dancer of the same name.
“It’s crazy to even think that when I first started painting my nails that I’d be here, with my own own collection of colors that I made,” McCain said during the announcement.
NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony Defends Sixers’ Jared McCain Painting His Nails
Of course, because it’s the NBA and plenty of fans are wildly insecure, the homophobic comments and jokes quickly hit social media. But McCain also got a good amount of support from several fans as well.
One big name backing McCain is recent Hall of Fame inductee Carmelo Anthony.
“That’s the generation now. Like we got to fall back like it ain’t our time no more, man. This is a young man sport like this ain’t our time. We can’t keep laying down the iron fist when we only don’t agree with something. Let them boys be themselves, man, let them do what they do and have their fun like they do it differently than we did it,” Anthony told Complex.
“That’s two totally different generations,” he said. “If you got to keep painting them fingernails, man, he’s still hooping.”
McCain averaged 15.3 points on 38.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc last season. He also recorded a pair of 30-point games, including a career-high 34 points in a Nov. 13 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.