Wednesday night, Duke's Jared McCain saw a lifelong dream come true as he was selected No. 16 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. It marked the 12th time Duke has had a player selected in the first round in the last 13 years.
McCain played only one year in Durham averaging 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. What makes him attractive as an NBA prospect, though, is the fact that he shot 41% from 3-point range for the Blue Devils. That's a skill Philadelphia needed to add to its roster.
McCain is a threat to score as soon as he crosses center court given his shooting abilities. He's also able to shoot off of the dribble as well as off the catch.
Controlled and balanced, he could be a natural scorer at the NBA level. What's more, he is a willing and capable rebounder for a guy who is only 6-foot-3.
There are questions about him as a defender though. Will he have the lateral quickness to stick with elite NBA guards?
Also, he isn't an explosive athlete. Rather, his game is a below-the-rim skillset, something that often concerns NBA teams.
Of course, Philadelphia has a superstar playing in the paint in the form of Joel Embid. The 7-foot monster averaged a whopping 34.7 points and 11 rebounds per game in 2023-24.
Embid's ability to draw attention in the paint could mean that a shooter of McCain's caliber will get plenty of open looks from the outside. That's why McCain might be an excellent fit in Philly.
What's more, McCain won't have to be a ball-dominant guard for the 76ers. That's because they already have Tyrese Maxey to run the point. This past season, he averaged 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game.
However, he isn't the caliber of 3-point shooter that McCain is. While Maxey did shoot a respectable 37.3% from 3-point range in 2023-24, he is more of a slasher who does his damage off the dribble.
Maxey should be able to draw defenders and find McCain for open looks. He could also help alleviate the pressure on McCain to be a driving force in the Philadelphia backcourt right off the bat.
This is a nice spot for McCain to land. He's heard his name called in the first round and he's ended up on a team that has championship aspirations. Now, he can try to help the 76ers finally get over the hump in the Eastern Conference.