Former Sixer Jared McCain is partnering with Hinge — to promote male friendship
McCain, who was traded to OKC last season, and his best friend, Nate Thai, are participating in the dating app's "One More Hour" campaign.
Jared McCain understands the importance of a good friend.
During the first few months of the 2024-25 season, the then-Sixers guard was an NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunner. However, following a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 13, 2024, McCain reported soreness in his left knee. An MRI revealed he had suffered a lateral meniscus tear. His season was over.
Crushed, McCain delivered the news to his circle. Nate Thai, his friend and frequent social media collaborator, “was the one to crack the first joke.”
“When I first got the call that I tore my meniscus, the first thing [Thai] said to me was, ‘At least you have another leg,’ which I love,” McCain said in a release. “It’s such a Nate comment to make. And from then on, he helped me. I couldn’t leave my bed for a while and he was there for me.”
» READ MORE: Jared McCain has physically healed. But he’s not rushing the on-court results. | from 2025
McCain, who was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, and Thai are partnering with Hinge. The dating app’s “One More Hour” campaign looks to highlight strong male friendships — emphasizing how men show up for one another.
“I’ve had a lot of friends, but being with Nate and learning more about him, I truly care for him like he’s family,” McCain said. “I have an older brother, and I care for Nate just as much as I care for my brother. I’ll do anything for him.”
Added Thai: “I used to always think whoever you’ve known the longest is your best friend. I just met Jared two and a half years ago, and that’s my guy. That’s my brother for real. In three years, I feel like I’ve known him my whole life.”
On Wednesday, Hinge released a video starring McCain and Thai. Over a game of ping-pong, they discuss their friendship and the importance of having someone to confide in. In the video, McCain notes that a “big misconception about male friendship in general [is] they don’t talk about their feelings.”
The research backs up McCain’s claim. Over the past year, Hinge conducted a survey of Gen Z adults in the United States and the United Kingdom. Seventy-one percent of U.S. and 65% of U.K. Gen Z men responded that an important factor to friendship is the “willingness to be vulnerable.” Additionally, 54% of U.S. and 59% of U.K. Gen Z men responded that they go to their friends first when struggling.
“One piece of advice I’d give for male friendships would be don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with them,” McCain said. “If it’s really your friend, they won’t joke about it or not take it seriously. If you really feel like you need to talk to someone about a serious situation, an issue you’re having, your mental health, or anything around that, I think you should feel comfortable. And don’t be shy about it. It’s okay to have that conversation and go right back to trolling. We’ll have a serious conversation, and then we’ll say a joke right after.”
