It must be a surreal experience, growing up alongside a five-star basketball prospect.
Jayce McCain, the older brother of former Duke basketball star Jared McCain, appeared on The Brotherhood Podcast this week and shed some light on his perspective watching Jared grow up.
Jayce, who is more than four years older than Jared, left for college while the former Blue Devil was still in eighth grade. Jared started getting homeschooled that year, and Jayce said the transformation felt immediate when he came back home. He said Jared looked skinnier thanks to daily workouts and began taking basketball more seriously than ever.
“He had a work ethic that I’d never seen before,” Jayce said.
McCain brought that same approach to Duke, overcoming a rough start to his season to finish as the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He averaged 16.1 points and 5.2 rebounds over his final 28 games with three 30-point performances and three double-doubles.