Jared McCain, 2023 top-25 prospect, commits to Duke

Jon Scheyer’s success on the recruiting trail keeps on rolling as the Blue Devils land their third commitment of the 2023 class; this time from Jared McCain, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard out of Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

“After visiting the campus it was eye-opening,” McCain told ESPN. “The family atmosphere and community is what I looking for! I formed a great relationship with Jon Scheyer and staff that was second to none.”

On3 ranks McCain higher than any other recruiting media company, at 17th overall in the class.

The California native chose the Blue Devils over Gonzaga, UCLA, Louisville, Houston, and others.

McCain joins Caleb Foster (No. 14) and Sean Stewart (No. 22).

The Blue Devils finished with the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2022, and it appears they’re well on their way to doing the same in 2023.

McCain’s social media fame

Yes, McCain is considered a ‘superstar’ on the court — he’s a top 25 prospect that’s going to Duke. But what’s equally as impressive is his social media following. McCain has amassed over a million followers on TikTok, not to mention, just over 270,000 followers on Instagram. He’s done one heck of a job growing his own personal brand, however, Duke will only strengthen it, especially in the NIL era.

For starters, Duke is the most followed program in college sports, with a combined 4.6 million followers across each of the social media platforms.

Here are some other quick facts about Duke University:

• Since 2010, Duke has played in 7 of the top 25 most-viewed college hoops games, including Top 2
• 40 million more TV viewers than the next closest program (Kentucky) over past 4 years (according to Nielsen Sports)
• Duke played in the Top 3 most-viewed games in college basketball this season so far (excludes NCAA Tournament, includes conference tourneys)
• Duke is the No. 1 rated program within college hoops in terms of marketing value (according to Nielsen Sports)

Here’s an example of the power of social media… Thursday night, McCain posted a dancing Tik Tok video, and the caption simply read: “I commit tomorrow to a school.”

Within 18 hours, the video had surpassed over 5 million views, and his Instagram following grew by over 20,000 overnight.

The social media fame, as well as his on-court success, earns him a $300,000 On3 NIL Valuation. According to the On3 NIL 100, McCain ranks 34th on the list, but sixth overall in the high school basketball space.

Scouting Report

“Jared McCain is a confident and skilled scorer. His best scoring attribute is getting into the mid-range and knocking down an assortment of pull-ups and floaters. He is a good enough shooter from three and he can finish at the basket. McCain is a volume scorer and a shoot-first ball handler. He is a competitive defender and uses and strong and compact frame to be a disruption. McCain has won a lot, at every level.” – Jamie Shaw, On3’s National Recruiting Analyst