2024 NBA Draft scouting report: Jared McCain

The Duke Blue Devils dance into the Sweet 16 with considerable momentum behind them. Freshman guard Jared McCain is driving that momentum, having scored 30 points on 8-of-11 shooting from deep in Duke's dominant second-round win over James Madison. While McCain hasn't always profiled as a surefire one-and-done prospect, it's getting increasingly difficult to imagine him returning to school.

More and more, Duke is allowing McCain to run the offense. He is famed for his torrential 3-point shooting, but McCain has steadily built up the ancillary portion of his draft profile, creating out of pick-and-rolls, finishing around the basket, and defending at a high level.

There isn't a ton of certainty at the top of NBA Draft boards right now. McCain is working his way into a grouping of small-ish guards who overcome physical limitations with undeniable skill. Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham are frequently pegged as top-five pick candidates, but when comparing skill sets, one can't help but mention McCain in the same breath.

He the talent, basketball I.Q., and intangibles to win over a lot of scouts and front offices in the pre-draft process. It can be difficult for prospects to share the spotlight at a school like Duke, where McCain has battled for minutes with Tyrese Proctor, Jeremy Roach, and Caleb Foster in the backcourt. But, in the end, this season proved that McCain can scale up or down to fit the personnel around him, and there's no doubt that he has impacted winning.

Jared McCain NBA Draft bio

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 195 pounds
Birthdate: Feb. 20, 2004
Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard
Offensive Role: Movement Shooter, P&R Ball-Handler
Defensive Role: On-Ball Stopper
Projected Draft Range: 5-25

NBA Draft highlights

Strengths

While McCain has not been granted the most robust role in the Duke backcourt, he has still received ample opportunity to showcase the full extent of his skill set. It starts, of course, with his 3-point shooting. McCain is on the shortlist of best shooters in the draft, once again drawing comparisons to the aforementioned Kentucky guards, Sheppard and Dillingham.

It has been a spectacular season for McCain behind the 3-point line, hitting 41.5 percent of 5.7 attempts per game. What seperates McCain from other elite shooters is his dynamism, both on and off the ball. Duke loves to plant McCain on the wing and feed him spot-up 3s, but he can do much more. McCain is lights-out off the dribble, with range extending well past the NBA line. He also moves willingly without the rock, effortlessly flowing into relocation 3s or shooting off of screens.

McCain is not equipped with a great first step, but he can generate space beyond the arc with well-timed step-backs or side-steps. In his eight 3-pointer game against JMU, the frosh showcased every shot in his arsenal.

Beyond the 3s, McCain is very much prepared to run an offense at the next level. He'll need to prove that he can generate advantages despite his small frame and limited burst, but McCain often makes up for his shortcomings with sheer craft. He's a gear-shift expert, subtly changing speed and direction to gain the edge and slip past his defender.

Despite playing entirely below the rim and generally not creating a ton of separation, McCain has been remarkably efficient around the basket. He uses his strength to absorb contact and create angles. The touch on his floater is feather-soft. McCain has mastered the scoop layup, often taking the long way around his man and driving baseline before using the rim to his advantage and rolling it home.

In short, McCain has a deep bag of tricks. He understands how to play within his frame and how to neutralize more athletic defenders. It helps that he demands so much attention on the perimeter, of course. Close out too aggressively, and McCain can puncture the defense right down the middle.

The patience McCain operates with as a ball-handler is supplemented with a tremendous eye for passing. He makes some true savant dimes, carefully probing around screens before firing darts to the rolling big or skip passes to the open shooter. McCain processes the game at a high level and is equally comfortable in the connector role, making swift decisions in the flow of the offense and promoting ball movement.

On defense, McCain will inevitably bump up against the limitations of his height. But, as far as positional defenders go, McCain is rock-solid. He has the strength to guard taller wings in a pinch, with the technique and lateral fluidity to mirror ball-handlers and suffocate the point of attack. McCain displays active hands (1.1 steals) and excellent instincts for blowing up passing lanes.

Weaknesses

NBA front offices will want to get McCain's official measurements before the draft and ponder what exactly his defensive ceiling is. McCain can stop the ball and guard his position, but even the best 6-foot-3 guards tend to end up on the wrong end of switches at the next level. McCain doesn't quite have the anomalous strength of Marcus Smart, for example. Pro offenses will try their hand at picking on McCain in the post and out in space.

As for the offensive end, it's fair to question the translatability of McCain's on-ball creation. He really doesn't generate much separation off the dribble, reliant entirely on craft and deception to offset his slow first step and middling explosiveness. In the NBA, faced with more length and athleticism, McCain could struggle to pressure the rim. The same concern extends to his finishing around the basket. He has been particularly excellent in college, but professional rim protection is another beast. McCain could see more drives and more layups snuffed out than he's accustomed to.

So, the real question is, is McCain truly a point guard? He has the floor general gene, the nose for teammates and the selfless attitude. But, it's generally hard-sledding for NBA point guards who can't create advantages on the perimeter and consistently plant two feet in the lane. If McCain is relegated to the role of connector and off-ball spacer, he'll still be effective. There's just less enthusiasm around 6-foot-3 off-guards, and understandably so.

There are risks to weight with McCain. It's that simple. He feels too smart and too skilled to fail, but if NBA athletes force him outside his comfort zone and take away his favorite spots on the floor, it could get dicey.

Final summary

We are seeing more guards who get by on skill, creativity, and subtle strength. McCain thinks the game well, and teams will naturally gravitate toward elite shooters who can bend defenses. Even if not all the on-ball stuff translates, McCain should be able to push different pressure points in the defense and leverage his 3-point threat to sneak down the lane and create for teammates.

Few players are easier to root for in the 2024 class. That is a silly way to evaluate prospects, but McCain's effervescent attitude and team-first approach should shine in the interview process, the same way it does on the court. He's TikTok famous, a true modern-age college star. What that all means for his NBA outlook is unknown, but McCain's going to be a fan-favorite wherever he lands.

In such a weak draft, it's probably wise to bet on the elite shooter who moonlights as a high-feel playmaker. But that's just my two cents.