PHOTO: Philly rookie Jared McCain has an emotional reaction to visiting the K-Center
After getting drafted into the NBA in June, Jared McCain is back in Durham, but only for a short visit. The guard, who was picked 16th overall in the 2024 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, posted a picture of the Coach K Center, home of the Duke Blue Devils, on his Instagram account Wednesday.
With the photo, McCain added two teary-eyed emojis, expressing his heavy emotions with the return.
Jared McCain was a one-and-done prospect who led Duke to its first Elite Eight since coach Mike Krzyzewski's era ended in 2022. He averaged 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in his only season with the Blue Devils.
Despite his lack of size and athleticism, McCain's biggest draw is his shooting prowess. He shot 46.2% from the floor, including 41.4% from the 3-point range. The Athletic reported that Jared McCain had impressed NBA scouts with his work ethic. He commented on this during the NBA draft combine in May.
"That's what got me here," he said. "Working hard, being disciplined, having a routine - that's everything. That's got me to be a five-star in high school (and) McDonald's American. So I wasn't going to stop and just kind of let it go away.
"My main thing is working hard, finding other ways outside of basketball, whether it's the meditation, my diet, anything to help me be better. Because I'm obviously not the most athletic or anything like that. But I'm going to find other ways to win and just play harder."
Jared McCain shares how his Duke days prepared him for the pressures of the NBA
Jared McCain participated in the Summer League along with the Sixers in Las Vegas. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in five games (per ClutchPoints). Despite this not being the regular season, McCain had some pressure to win over many doubters in the NBA.
During an interview with Forbes, the guard shared that playing for Duke and the expectations from the fans of a blue-blood program prepared him for the league.
“Duke is the biggest platform in college basketball," McCain said. "I think just going and playing those games, obviously having a passionate fan base — just like Philly does — knowing what that takes and knowing the pressure, I'm used to it by now. I think the main thing I learned from Duke is just have fun with it. This is basketball.
“No matter if I'm going through a rough patch — the fans can be upset with you — but if you're not going to be confident in yourself, then nothing is going to work out for you. Always stay the course. Never get too high, never get too low.”
What are your predictions for McCain's NBA career? Let us know in the comment section below.
Also read: WATCH: Jared McCain’s old video of reiterating his NBA dream resurfaces amid Philly pick