Sixers Pick Up Duke Freshman in 2024 NBA Mock Draft

In ESPN's 2024 NBA Mock Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers take on a Duke standout.

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain (0) controls the ball against North Carolina State Wolfpack guard DJ Horne (0) in the first half in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2024 NBA Draft just weeks away, there’s still a growing expectation that the Philadelphia 76ers will move their first-rounder in favor of a win-now addition.

But that hasn’t happened just yet.

As a result, mock drafts have shown a wide variety of potential prospects for the Sixers’ 16th overall selection. In ESPN’s latest, the 76ers take a chance on Duke freshman Jared McCain.

Why McCain?

“The level of spacing and versatility McCain provides on offense should be attractive to the Sixers,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote.

However, it was once again noted that the Sixers could very well move the pick, allowing another team to take on a developmental piece like McCain.

For what it’s worth, the Sixers have always been a candidate to trade away their first-round selections since Daryl Morey took over the front office in 2020, but it didn’t always happen.

In fact, of the three first-round picks the Sixers owned during Morey’s stint, Philly made two selections and traded out just once. The 2020 selection of Tyrese Maxey, a freshman out of Kentucky, proved to be a major steal.

Maybe a guard like McCain could be another.

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jared McCain (0) and center Kyle Filipowski (30) react in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The 20-year-old Sacramento-born player entered his situation at Duke as a five-star prospect. He started all 36 games of his run in the NCAA. The production stands out, as McCain produced 14 points per game, while shooting 46 percent from the field.

From deep, McCain hit on 41 percent of his shots. He also knocked down free throws at a high clip, averaging 89 percent from the charity stripe.

Along with his scoring, McCain dished out two assists per game. Defensively, he was responsible for five rebounds per game, along with a steal.

According to ESPN, McCain has been receiving interest in the lottery area of the upcoming draft, potentially leaving him out of the equation for Philadelphia if they do keep their pick. That suggests he could be viewed as a steal if he goes off the board in the late teens.