Sixers rookie Jared McCain isn’t bothered by critics, and won’t change a thing: ‘I’m always going to be myself’

Jared McCain is aware he has “haters.”

A portion of the 76ers fan base is disappointed that their squad selected the 6-foot-2 guard at No. 16 over the bigger and more experienced Dalton Knecht. Others don’t like that McCain has painted fingernails or a huge presence on social media. Some traditionalists would prefer that he keep old-school boundaries and focus on hoops. In their eyes, entertaining 3 million followers on TikTok and another 1.2 million on Instagram is a distraction.

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But the criticism is far from new for McCain, and it doesn’t bother him. The 20-year-old is comfortable in his own skin.

“I credit my parents,” he said. “I credit my brother, my family. They’ve instilled in me from a young age to just be confident in myself. Work hard, find your goals. And since I was a kid, I’ve always loved to just be myself. Be me, no matter where I’ve gone. I think that confidence comes from them.

“Whether it’s painting my nails, doing TikToks, it’s just stuff I like to do whether people like it or not. A lot of people don’t like it, but that’s fine with me. I’m just going to continue to embrace [it]. And I’m always going to be myself, because that’s what got me here.”

McCain’s decision to embrace his individuality is a major reason why he is a social media influencer. While many athletes mainly share highlight clips, the California native has posted videos partaking in TikTok dances, singing, and even wearing a bonnet, among other trends. In one of his most viral TikToks, McCain danced to the song “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit, which garnered 7.9 million views.

His popularity is not surprising. McCain’s social media presence has always been amplified by his on-court success. At Centennial High School in Corona, Calif., he was a McDonald’s All American and California Mr. Basketball as a senior in 2023. McCain averaged 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals while making the ACC all-rookie team this past season at Duke.

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One of the best shooters in the draft, he shot 41.4% on three-pointers. McCain even set a Duke freshman single-game record for made threes in a game, when he made eight while scoring a career-best 35 points against Florida State on Feb. 17. He tied that record while finishing with 30 points against James Madison in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 24.

Despite that, McCain knows there are questions about the Sixers selecting him, an undersized two guard, over the more NBA-ready player 6-6 Knecht. Critics believe a small backcourt pairing of McCain and 6-2 point guard Tyrese Maxey will be a defensive liability.

“Being at Duke — the best college program in the country by far — you learn that when you’re at the top, there’s going to be haters,” he said. “There’s going to be haters who will find any way to discredit your work, discredit anything about you. And you learn to live with it and you learn to find motivation from it.

“So coming here to Philly where it’s kind of the same vibe, I’ve already learned from it and I’ve already been through it. So I know how to understand it and how to learn from it.”

» READ MORE: The Sixers should be an attractive free agent destination. But Philly isn’t for the faint of heart.

But his social media popularity has created faithful followers who have inquired about purchasing his No. 20 Sixers jersey. And for every negative comment McCain receives, he probably gets 100 more admiring him. That’s why he never wants to shy away from doing what brings in that love.

“I get so much love from kids who DM me and tell me I influence them, that I inspire them sometimes,” McCain said. “Just to be that influence … I feel like I always have to understand the confidence and always bring that. Be myself no matter what and always just show love to them, because it sometimes goes undervalued when you look at the hate sometimes.”

The 76ers are gearing up for a crucial free-agency period beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday. With ample salary-cap space available, the Sixers are in position to make significant moves to bolster their roster around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Join Inquirer beat reporters Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey, as they recap the flurry of initial signings for the Sixers and around the league at noon on Monday.