Future Duke basketball guard exhibits 'alpha' qualities

Duke basketball is getting a bucket-getter in five-star guard Jared McCain.

Duke basketball guards Jared McCain and Caleb Foster (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Over the weekend, a Duke basketball commit was arguably the premier performer among the roughly 60 heralded preps at USA Basketball's Junior National Team minicamp in Colorado.

At least, that's how On3's Jamie Shaw sees it. The national recruiting analyst named Centennial High School (Calif.) senior shooting guard Jared McCain his MVP of the event and provided the following assessment of the future Blue Devil:

"In a gym filled with players bricking everything, Jared McCain's ability to make shots stood out. [He] showcased a tough handle and a competitive nature. His team, whether 3-on-3 or 5-on-5, won more times than not. Where [his] game showed improvement here was he did not force anything; all of his buckets came within the rhythm and the feel of the game. McCain is an alpha on the floor and one who simply breeds winning."

McCain, who committed to the Blue Devils in March, is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound composite five-star and ranks No. 18 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite. By moonlighting as a TikTok entertainer with 1.7 million followers, he has already racked up a wealth of NIL deals and stands to rake in big bucks as a Duke basketball player.

Shaw noted that Jared McCain averaged 16.1 points last season for a Centennial squad that finished with a 32-1 record. Then the 18-year-old dazzled on the Nike EYBL summer circuit, scoring 15.7 points per game for Team WhyNot.

He is one of Duke's five prizes in its top-ranked 2023 haul.

RELATED: Duke legend Grant Hill checks out future Blue Devil

The other four commits, all five-star prospects, are point guard Caleb Foster, small forward Mackenzie Mgbako, power forward TJ Power, and power forward Sean Stewart. All five hold top-25 composite rankings.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.