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Duke Freshman Star McCain Collaborates with Meta to Promote AI Upgrade

NBA Draft-bound Jared McCain showcases day in the life at Duke using AI

Michael Ehrlich

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain (0) reacts in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center.
Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain (0) reacts in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Although Duke freshman guard Jared McCain has already declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, his impact as a first-year NIL star in college basketball continues. As part of a larger announcement on Thursday from Meta - highlighting a new version of the Meta AI virtual assistant - the social media giant shared a video showcasing how the Blue Devils' star uses the technology on campus to make his day more efficient.

From planning workouts, to creating a smoothie recipe sans blueberries, to sourcing new nail polish designs to organizing his class notes, McCain shows - in an Instagram collab post with Meta - how he uses Meta AI from all of his devices, including the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared an Instagram video detailing the new updates. "We're upgrading Meta AI with our new state-of-the-art Llama 3 AI model, which we're open sourcing," he said, "With this new model, we believe Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use.We're making Meta AI easier to use by integrating it into the search boxes at the top of WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. We also built a website, meta.ai, for you to use on web."

Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain wearing his Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain wearing his Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses / Meta

Although he only spent a season at Duke, McCain was a major contributor on the court - averaging over 14 points and 5 rebounds a game while earning ACC All-Rookie team - while building a unique personal brand with his bright nail polish and frequent TikTok dances off the court.

Represented by Excel Sports Management, McCain's NIL portfolio includes Crocs, Recover 180, Sally Hansen, CELSIUS, Champs Sports, CVS and more.

"Duke fans I can truly say this was the best year of my life, I can’t stress that enough," he said in declaring for the NBA Draft. "I loved everything about this school. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms and supporting me through everything this year. I know the TikToks and nail painting is different and hard to look past for some but I really played every game like it was my last and worked everyday to try and represent that Duke jersey correctly. Most importantly, thank you for allowing me to be myself. I hope and pray I was able to spread some joy and positivity while watching me play. I love Duke."

Projected as a lottery pick, McCain will learn his next team when the 2024 NBA Draft tips off from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, June 26 live on ESPN.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com