The entire basketball world knew that the Duke basketball team had a lethal sharpshooter in freshman Jared McCain but now NBA scouts and fans are seeing it for themselves.
McCain shined during the individual workout period of the NBA Draft Scouting Combine on Monday, making 19-of-25 attempted 3-pointers.
The California native shot 41.4-percent (87-of-210) from distance during his only season as a Blue Devil, earning a spot on the ACC's All-Rookie Team.
He averaged 21.0 points per game in the NCAA Tournament while making 50-percent of his shots from 3-point territory (16-of-32) while breaking the Duke NCAA Tournament record with eight 3-pointers against James Madison in the Round of 32.
Serious shooting display from Jared McCain. Hit 19 of 25 3s. pic.twitter.com/RYQG85gEIX
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) May 13, 2024
McCain would then become the first Blue Devil freshman to score 30 points or more twice in an NCAA Tournament after he scored 32 points in Duke's in the Elite Eight loss against NC State, which also tied Zion Williamson's scoring record for most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game by a rookie.
While Jared McCain's performances late in the season were highlighted due to the attention the NCAA Tournament receives, he rose up the Duke leaderboards throughout the regular season that was punctuated with a 35-point performance on the road against Florida State.
He made 12-of-20 shots, including 8-for-11 from 3-point range. It tied Zion Williamson’s freshman scoring record at Duke and set a new program record for most 3-pointers made in a game by a freshman.
McCain was joined alongside sophomore Kyle Filipowski to enter the 2024 NBA Draft from Duke's current roster.
Jared McCain is projected to be selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 17 overall pick, according to the most recent NBA mock draft published by ESPN.
He was officially measured at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds with a 6-foot-3.5-inch wingspan at the combine.