Duke basketball guard declares for NBA Draft after freshman season

One of the key pieces of the Duke Blue Devils’ backcourt is jumping into the NBA waters.

Jared McCain, who electrified audiences with his play on the court, and with his vibrant social media presence off the court, announced Friday morning on Instagram that he will enter his name in the 2024 NBA Draft after one season at Duke.

“Even only being here for one year, I got to see the impact and the power of the Brotherhood, and that’s what made this decision extremely hard,” McCain said in his post. “But I’ve always been a dream chaser, I’ve always been wanting to reach my goals, and that next one is the NBA. With that being said, I will be entering my name in the 2024 NBA Draft.”

McCain played in 36 games for the Blue Devils this season as Duke (27-9) reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament before bowing out to the Cinderella N.C. State Wolfpack.

McCain was second on the team with 31.6 minutes player per game, and second in scoring at 14.3 points per contest.

“Today I’m filled with such gratitude and appreciation for my life, for everything that’s been brought to me this year,” McCain said in his post. “I want to thank the coaching staff, my family, my teammates for everything they’ve done for me this year.”

Because of his shooting and ball-handing skills, McCain is projected as a first-round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. Sophomore forward Kyle Filipowski, who led Duke in scoring and rebounding for the second consecutive season, is also expected to leave school for the NBA.

This is a developing story and will be updated.