Duke basketball staff wants TikTok star in future backcourt

A popular content-maker seems key to the Duke basketball recruiting agenda.

Centennial (Calif.) shooting guard Jared Mccain dances with positive vibes both on the court and off, which may explain why the 6-foot-2, 175-pound five-star has amassed almost 400,000 TikTok followers. Meanwhile, his silky game and appreciation for Duke basketball excellence must explain why the Duke Blue Devils appear to be in hot pursuit of the high school junior these days.

Mccain, who has soared from No. 78 to No. 24 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite across the past few months, explained the significance of his recent offer from Duke head coach-in-waiting Jon Scheyer during a chat this week with 247Sports national recruiting insider Dushawn London:

“It’s crazy because I put a goal board on my wall, and the Duke Blue Devils are on there.”

The only other program on that goal board hanging in his room is Gonzaga, who also officially entered the fray for Mccain earlier this month.

After explaining how the Duke basketball offer came to fruition, Mccain suggested to London that the Blue Devils’ goal seems clear and talked about a potential visit to Durham in the coming months:

“They were talking about me and Caleb Foster, who’s already committed, to play together at the one and two. It’s just a really cool aspect that they’re recruiting me. I’ll definitely visit if I can find some time during the season or sometime after the season.”

Although Mccain doesn’t intend to decide on a college until after next summer’s Peach Jam, he told London that he plans to announce a list of finalists “pretty soon.” Considering his positive thoughts on the Blue Devils and the lone Crystal Ball pick pointing to Duke as the early frontrunner, it would be a shock if Scheyer & Co. doesn’t survive the cut.

How Jared Mccain earned his spot on the Duke basketball recruiting wishlist

In July, Jared Mccain cemented his place on the national recruiting scene by displaying impressive versatility, averaging 20.5 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.3 boards in helping his Team Why Not (Calif.) take home the Peach Jam U16 title. While his specialty may be the corner three, he is also a threat with his vast array of midrange shots and slick moves when attacking the basket.

This week, Mccain continued to shine by leading his prep squad to a 103-28 victory — yes, a 75-point drubbing — in its season opener:

And Mccain even looked to try delighting his ever-growing TikTok audience with some sort of quick shimmy following one of his splashes from downtown:

Thus far, the only 2023 Duke basketball recruiting pledge is from Oak Hill (Va.) five-star point guard Caleb Foster, who ranks No. 9 in the class.

But including the one to Jared Mccain, Duke has seven offers still on the table. The other six targets are five-star small forward Mackenzie Mgbako, five-star small forward JJ Taylor, five-star small forward Matas Buzelis, five-star small forward Taylor Bowen, five-star power forward Gregory Jackson, and four-star power forward Sean Stewart.