A decision from Duke basketball freshman Jared McCain is coming.
He'll either return to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season or enter the NBA Draft, and it's not an easy choice for the ACC All-Freshman Team selection.
McCain detailed part of his decision process to On3 as he weighs the pros and cons of his options.
“Leaving a legacy wherever I go is something I always pride myself on,” he said.
“And I’ve always prided myself on just working hard and making sure people know that I actually care about this because a lot of stuff can get lost in translation because of social media."
The rookie shined during his first season with Duke, averaging 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on 41.4-percent shooting from 3-point range. He scored at least 30 points twice during the NCAA Tournament, including hitting eight 3-pointers in the Blue Devils victory over James Madison.
However, despite 32 points from McCain in the Elite 8 against NC State, Duke's season came to and end short of its ultimate goal.
"That’s why I came – to win a National Championship," he continued.
Duke is already projected as one of the favorites to win the title next year, bringing in the top ranked recruiting class in the country which is led by Cooper Flagg.
If McCain returns, he and Flagg could create nightmares for opponents given their versatility, but it's not something that will factor into his decision to remain in Durham or head to the NBA.
He told On3 that it would be "super cool" to play with the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft but it has no impact on his future.
Duke has not yet learned of any key player's decisions with the exception of Mark Mitchell, who announced on Tuesday that he will be entering the transfer portal after two seasons with the Blue Devils.
Jared McCain is ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the NBA Draft, according to ESPN, higher than his Duke teammates Kyle Filipowski, who is ranked at No. 14.
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