Meet Jared McCain, the TikTok star and Duke commit on Russell Westbrook's AAU team 'Team Why Not'

Gilbert McGregor

Meet Jared McCain, the TikTok star and Duke commit on Russell Westbrook's AAU team 'Team Why Not' image

There's a viral tweet out there that says that people that refuse to download TikTok act like they have a Ph.D. in maturity. But for those of us like Kevin Durant that aren't above downloading the app, you're quick to understand its popularity.

TikTok often comes with plenty of content that's equally clever, mesmerizing, funny, and just downright entertaining. And if you consume enough of the app's sports content, there's a good chance you recognize Jared McCain, a rising high school senior that's accumulated nearly two million followers thanks in large part to his dance videos, many of which come while he's in a basketball uniform.

Take last summer for example, when McCain, a member of Russell Westbrook's Team Why Not AAU program, posted a video dancing to a mix of Young Thug's "Surf" and "Ski" while preparing for the Peach Jam, arguably the biggest tournament on the AAU circuit.

@jaredmccain24

YAAAAAAAAA SKIIIIIIII ⛷

♬ Skurf. Ski x Surf - unpopularbv

The TikTok post itself has nearly five million plays and gives a glimpse into McCain's clearly fun-loving personality.

The kicker, however, is that Team Why Not is a member of Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) and as impressive of a dancer (and TikToker) as McCain is, he's probably an even better basketball player.

A 6-foot-2 guard out of Centennial High School in Corona, Calif., 247Sports composite ranking has McCain ranked as the 21st-best prospect in the high school class of 2023 who picked up offers from programs such as Houston, Kansas, Louisville, UCLA, Stanford and Duke, among other schools.

MORE: Top-ranked 2023 prospect DJ Wagner's got next

While McCain recorded TikTok videos during his official visits to a number of schools…

@jaredmccain24

🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼

♬ Let's Groove - absolutesnacc
@jaredmccain24

More Houston content 😁

♬ Passion - 😘🙈☺️

… he announced his commitment to Duke on March 18 with a video posted to his social media channels. One of which, was of course, TikTok.

@jaredmccain24

IM GOING TO DUKE!!!😈😈😈

♬ original sound - Jaredmccain24

McCain is a star in every sense of the word.

Because of his play on the court, McCain was named the 2021-22 California Gatorade State Player of the Year, won gold with Team USA U18 National Team in Mexico and, in 2023, will attend one of the most prestigious programs in college basketball.

A magnetic personality has made McCain a star off the court, where the most recent episode of his "Believe" docuseries has reached 187,000 views while his TikToks reach at least a quarter of a million plays with regularity.

It's fitting that he plays for the AAU program of one of the more fun-loving NBA players who has never been shy about showing off his moves.

As we talk about the current generation of athletes' role as the "new media," don't sleep on the next generation's ability to master the new social media wave while providing a glimpse into their everyday lives.

You might find yourself to be very entertained.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.