The Philadelphia 76ers selected Duke guard Jared McCain with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
McCain is a knockdown outside shooter, connecting on 41.4% of his 3-pointers in his lone season at Duke. He has the versatility to knock down jumpers in a variety of ways, including in catch-and-shoot situations, off the dribble and off movement. The 20-year old was one of collegiate basketball’s best outside shooters last season.
The California native also showed immense poise in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 21.0 points per game, including two contests where he scored 30-plus points.
While McCain will not be a point guard at the NBA level, he has enough playmaking ability to be a secondary creator. He can effectively operate the pick-and-roll while also not turning the ball over much. McCain should be a good fit next to both Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid due to the floor spacing he provides. He excelled at Duke despite being asked to play more of an off-ball role, something he will need to replicate while playing next to the Sixers’ star duo.
The biggest concern about McCain’s skillset is his struggles defensively. He plays hard on that end of the floor and scrapped for rebounds, averaging 5.0 per game at Duke. However, his 6-foot-2 frame and 6-foot-3 wingspan are always going to limit what he can do defensively. The Sixers hope his offensive production will be enough to outweigh any bumps he goes through defensively.
The Sixers could have traded away the 16th overall pick. Instead, they selected McCain, a pure sharpshooter. McCain is not a perfect player, but his strong outside shooting should help him carve out a role in the Sixers’ rotation as a rookie.
