NBA Draft: Jared McCain's Maturity Is His Greatest Asset

Despite being just 20 years old, McCain has the game of a veteran player, with the temperament to match. How does this impact his draft stock?

Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Jared McCain is one of the stars of a Duke team that has been on a tear as of late.

The winners of eight of their last nine, the Blue Devils are primed for yet another March run behind the abilities of several players, but especially two projected lottery selections in Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain. 

McCain was getting draft buzz before the season even started, and it was a steady climb up the boards before really exploding onto the scene against Florida State, where he scored 35 points and hit eight three-pointers. 

"That as a special performance," said Duke Coach Jon Scheyer after the FSU win. "I've been lucky enough to...see a lot of special performances...that was up there with any of them."

He broke JJ Reddick's freshman three-point record for a single game, and his name began floating even higher up on draft boards. 

Against North Carolina State on Saturday, March 2nd, he shot 6-for-14 and scored 16 points, icing the game as well by hitting a four-point play with 4:17 left. After that, Duke coasted to a victory. 

McCain plays an exciting brand of basketball that is absolutely "shoot first, ask questions last," as he is a volume scorer in every sense.

What makes him such a good prospect is the fact that (A) he is an efficient scorer on high volume and (B) a really good rebounder for a player that stands just 6-foot-3. 

He's averaging just shy of five boards per game, and has had multiple double-doubles this year of points and rebounds. 

What really stands out about McCain though is the level-headedness, the maturity. He's a guy that doesn't let the emotions get the best of him, and one that plays the game with great excitement. 

He talks of patience and poise in an interview with The Devil's Den, and letting the game come to him. "[It's about] doing what you can control," he said, "I like to play with joy and positivity on the court."

The results are undeniable – Duke is a top-10 team an McCain is one of its biggest stars. With their biggest game of the year coming up on Saturday, taking on North Carolina at Cameron Indoor, McCain's role will be as key as ever. 

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.