Jared McCain reacts to being selected by the 76ers and has a message for fans

The Philadelphia 76ers finally made their first-round selection Wednesday night in the first round of the NBA draft, after weeks of speculation that they would trade their pick for a win-now player.

With pick No. 16, the Sixers selected Duke guard Jared McCain who immediately brings the shot to the floor. He shot 41.4% from deep on 5.8 attempts during the 2023-24 season with the Blue Devils and will look to put that ability on the floor immediately.

Hopping on a Zoom call, McCain gave his reaction to being selected by the Sixers and the process leading up to the draft.

“We didn’t talk much,” McCain said. “My agent mainly took care of all that. I just can’t wait to get there and learn more.

Clearly, there was work to be done before the draft since his collegiate season at Duke ended. He worked on other parts of his game to prepare for the NBA game and bring a different style on the court for Philadelphia.

“I mean, during this process, I’m just thinking about showing that I can be on the ball, make reads on pick-and-rolls and obviously continue to improve my footwork, my shooting and my shooting on the move , but yeah, I know it’s going to be tough on defense,” McCain said. “I think that’s the biggest challenge I get thrown at a lot, and yeah. A new challenge is something I always welcome.

McCain brings style to the floor. He can shoot the ball, has an elite work ethic, and he has a strong presence on social media as he regularly uses his TikTok account and he has a sponsorship with Sally Hansen, a nail polish company.

However, he promises fans that his focus is on basketball.

“I do social media, paint nails, I do all that, but basketball is obviously my main focus,” he said succinctly. “It’s been my dream since I was literally five or four years old. So I’m going to do everything I can just to win, bring a positive attitude and have fun, man. I’m just joyful about life and I try to bring it wherever I go.