There isn’t a prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft class that is quite like Duke’s Jared McCain. The 20-year-old has blown up on TikTok, where he’s constantly dancing and giving his followers a taste of his wildly impressive vocals. McCain also paints his fingernails, opening himself up to criticism by some of the nastier people behind the keyboard on social media. But the reality is that McCain is fun, both as a person and a player. And being unabashedly himself is probably one of the reasons he is such an intriguing prospect, specifically with his ability to shoot the basketball. He clearly doesn’t care what anybody thinks of him, making him fearless when he’s on the court.

This season, McCain, a 6-foot-3, 197-pound freshman guard, is averaging 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game for the Blue Devils. And McCain is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 41.5 percent from three and 86.8 percent from the line.

McCain’s efficiency as a shooter is what pops when watching him play. McCain has quick, effortless mechanics, and he’s consistent with the way he shoots the basketball. That allows McCain to thrive as a catch-and-shoot option, but he is also dangerous as an off-the-dribble shooter. This season, McCain is scoring 1.27 points per possession in all catch-and-shoot situations, according to Synergy Sports. That’s good for the 91st percentile in all of college basketball. McCain is also scoring 0.95 points per possession off the dribble, which puts him in the 78th percentile.

With Duke loaded in the backcourt, McCain has been pigeon-holed into an off-ball role this season. The Blue Devils have two other guards that play at least 30 minutes per night, with senior Jeremy Roach and sophomore Tyrese Proctor getting the first cracks at the primary ball-handling responsibilities. With that in mind, McCain has mostly operated as a shooting guard this year, despite having the ability to play on the ball. And he is thriving in that role because of his deadly jumper. But there’s a good chance McCain ends up outperforming his draft slot because of the back seat he has taken with Duke. That’s something we have seen pretty regularly with Kentucky prospects.

There’s simply nothing that suggests McCain can’t run the show, at least as a heavily-involved second option. McCain is a very effective pick-and-roll ball handler, as he’s able to shoot over the top and also make every pass in the book. McCain has shown that he can hit the roll man, or use his eyes to read the defense and manipulate defenders. At his height, it’s almost a guarantee that he’ll need to operate on the ball in order to maximize his potential the next level — unless he’s paired with a shooting guard or small forward that operates with the ball in their hands. But McCain’s in the 94th percentile when it comes to points per possession as a pick-and-roll handler. So, there shouldn’t be much of a concern over whether or not he can do it.

McCain does lack a little bit of pop as an athlete, and that’s where some of the doubts come in. But McCain is very good at using his body to put defenders in uncomfortable positions. And he’s also a decent finisher, with a nice touch on his floaters. So, McCain should be able to mix in some scoring from inside the three-point line. He’s also in the 86h percentile when it comes to points per possession in transition, which is an excellent place to be. His lack of leaping ability and glaring speed aren’t harming him in the open court. He’s comfortable playing at his own pace. On top of all of that, he’s scoring .917 points per possession in isolation situations. That’s another number that is relatively good. Perhaps he’ll struggle a little more against high-level athletes in the NBA, but he’ll also benefit from attacking with more space.

There’s just a ton that McCain can do on the offensive end, and he’s also a reliable defensive player. McCain isn’t going to get to the NBA and start locking down All-Stars, but he competes hard on the defensive end. And he can be especially plucky at the point of attack. That said, McCain likely won’t be a negative on that end of the floor, and that’s all you can ask for when talking about a player with his ability to get hot offensively.

It’s just hard not to love what McCain has put on tape this year. He’s an absolute sniper from deep, and he has the ability to quickly swing games with the way he shoots off the bounce. Just watch some of the highlights of his 30-point performance against James Madison in the NCAA Tournament — or his nuclear 35-point performance against Florida State on February 21st.

McCain is the type that can go on absolute heaters. And he’ll take the “no, no, no, yes!” types of shots you see out of some of the NBA’s most electric microwave scorers. But there’s so much more that McCain might be able to add to a team, and that’s hard to ignore in a draft like this. When you add that to the infectious energy he’ll bring to his locker room and fan base, you’re looking at a player that could soon be a household name.