ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, this time paired with the rumor mill and what ESPN’s scouts are hearing ahead of Wednesday’s opening round.
The duo paired McCain with the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Blue Devil’s most popular destination in pre-draft predictions and the same spot the ESPN duo had him in their mock draft last week.
The 41.4% 3-point shooter emerged as a fan favorite after he demolished the combine, going 19/25 from 3-point range during a shooting drill and earning comparisons to the Curry brothers because of his form and consistency. The popular pairing would let him share the court with former MVP Joel Embiid and last season’s Most Improved Player, Tyrese Maxey.
However, despite McCain routinely coming close to the lottery range as a prospect, Givony wrote that the pairing doesn’t stem from strong feelings about Philadelphia. The Sixers have reportedly hosted the fewest workouts of any team in the league, fanning speculation that they might include the pick in a trade.
“Regardless of who is picking, McCain has an easy niche he can fill in the NBA,” Givony wrote, praising the former Blue Devil’s offensive ability.
The NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday night.