Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum play for two fierce rivals who arguably boast the most prolific feud in NBA history. However, there's a lot the Sixers youngster could learn from his soon-to-be enemy.
In fact, McCain and Tatum shared a similar path to the league. At 19 years old, Tatum became a first-round pick in 2017 after spending one year with the Duke Blue Devils. He was drafted to a talented Celtics squad that was fortunate enough to have three former All-Stars in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford.
McCain was also a young, one-and-done player with Duke, going 16th overall in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at the age of 20. Like the 2017-18 Celtics, the 76ers now have three star players who were all selected to All-Star teams last season: Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.
During Tatum's rookie season, he exploded onto the scene. He helped the C's overcome untimely injuries and make it all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals before coming up short against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. En route to his first Conference Finals appearance, Tatum toppled the 76ers in five games. In the series-opening win, he dropped 28 points (then a career-high) to become the first Celtics rookie to score 25 or more points in a playoff game since the legendary Larry Bird.
A hot start like that would be a dream for McCain. However, he knows he has much to learn and that following in the footsteps of the 2024 NBA champion could take time.
“I mean, if I could follow Jayson Tatum's path exactly, I'd call that a real successful career for me,” he told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “But any help I can get from anybody from Duke, from the Duke family, Duke brotherhood. Whether it's something I want to get into after basketball, business-wise, or just basketball-wise, or just being an NBA player off the court. There's so much stuff I can learn. Especially from a guy like Tatum.”
Summer League is where it all began for Tatum, and the same can be said for McCain. The Sixers guard averaged 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists through five games in Las Vegas. In his final 2024 Summer League outing on Sunday, he provided 15 points and four assists during a 103-98 victory over the Celtics.
FLASHBACK 🗓️ Jayson Tatum makes his Celtics' debut and hits the game-winner during a 2017 Summer League matchup vs. the 76ers ☘️
Who else in the NBA does Jared McCain want to learn from?
Tatum isn't the only Duke product McCain is looking to for instruction. The 20-year-old named New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson and former Sixer JJ Redick as exemplary players he wishes to learn from.
“One of the reasons why I went to Duke is because of the connections I have to all the people who have been through exactly what I want to do in life, whether it's, you know, JJ Redick, Jayson Tatum, obviously, Zion, like all these players are elite talents,” he said. “And they've been through so much already. So there's so much help I can already get just from being in ‘The Brotherhood.'”
“The Brotherhood,” which is the nickname of Duke's basketball community and network, is strong in the NBA. Tatum, Irving, Williamson, 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram and 2024 All-Star Paolo Banchero are just a handful of the former Dukies in the league right now.
“Best college in the world,” McCain boasted when discussing which school had the best alumni in the NBA.
Jayson Tatum just signed a bunch of autographs for the many Celtics fans in attendance here — and started with a young fan donning his Duke jersey
Related NewsArticle continues below
While transitioning into a star is the California native's goal, he knows that's not a guarantee in the Association. As a result, he's talked to other guys out of the Duke bubble like former 76er Patrick Beverley, who made a name for himself as a defensive bench player for several teams.
“It was cool getting to talk to Pat Bev,” McCain revealed. “I mean, someone who's been in the league 10 years, been on multiple teams. He's been through it all. So I think it's really cool to talk to somebody like that.”
Even though Beverley will be overseas next season with Hapoel Tel Aviv, he taught McCain the importance of authenticity and identity in the NBA.
“I think most of what he was saying is just always be you,” he recalled. “Always find a way to be yourself in any situation. I think that's something I'm really good at. No matter where I'm at, I'm always gonna be myself and just have fun wherever I go … Whether you win or lose, bad game or good game, just stick to your routine, no matter what it is.”
Because Philadelphia has loads of talent heading into the 2024-25 season, McCain might have to embrace a role similar to that of Beverley or Redick, who's now the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He won't be the go-to guy, yet contributing to winning in any way possible should be enough to impress the tough, but loyal Sixers crowd.
“I'm going to a winning situation, a passionate fan base,” McCain described. “So, I'm just happy to be in this position because I feel like winning is something I always love to do.”
