NBA Draft 2024 Rumors: Insiders 'Rave' About Jared McCain's Work Ethic at Duke

After declaring for the NBA draft last week, Duke guard Jared McCain is already drawing high praise among basketball insiders.

Per The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, McCain has been complimented on his work ethic after his lone year with the Blue Devils.

"On top of that, sources across the NBA and the college space rave about his work ethic, and he is tireless in the weight room and in the gym," Vecenie wrote.

McCain averaged 14.3 points, five rebounds and 1.1 steals per game at Duke, helping lead his team to an Elite Eight appearance.

In Bleacher Report's latest NBA mock draft, McCain is the projected No. 12 pick, going to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will get one of the Houston Rockets' first-round picks.

As a high school prospect, McCain was considered to be the No. 13 player in the country and the No. 1 player in the state of California by 247Sports composite. He lived up to his high expectations in his freshman season at Duke, and now he'll likely be a lottery pick.

Though McCain has the size of a modern NBA point guard at 6'3", he could play at either position in the backcourt depending on where a team needs him. He's a talented shot creator and is efficient both around the rim and from deep. He shot 46.2 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from deep last season.

McCain was impressive all season, but his NCAA tournament showing certainly boosted his draft stock. He averaged 21 points per game across four games, including a 30-point game and a 32-point game. In the Blue Devils' win over James Madison, he drained eight threes in 11 attempts.

McCain's skill is unquestionable, and based on basketball insiders' assessment of him, he has the work ethic needed to make it in the NBA.