Social media presents a unique opportunity for athletes to build, grow, and engage with an audience in any number of ways and create a personal brand regardless of what level they compete at.
Enter Jared McCain - a basketball player from Sacramento, California USA - who rose to notoriety as much on social media as he did on the court. The NBA rookie, drafted by the Philadelphia 76er’s earlier this year, rose to stardom online doing TikTok dances in high school. These viral moments combined with his growing infamy as an elite athlete, ultimately lead to McCain creating a personal brand that allowed him to build an audience across platforms before he even arrived at the collegiate level.
Once he did though, his multimedia approach to growing coupled with his status as a top college prospect, saw him working with big name brands and securing lucrative NIL (name, image and likeness) deals. Now an NBA rookie,
McCain’s personal brand and social media following only bolster his prospects as a young professional and are sure to serve him well in monetising his status outside of competition. Using McCain’s example, we broke down some of the biggest takeaways from his journey that athletes of all levels can consider implementing.
INCREASE VISIBILITY
The high school basketball circuit in the USA is highly competitive and largely followed, but not as much so as the collegiate level or of course, the NBA - as is the case in most sports internationally. High school players are in competition with other athletes from all over the country, seeking to establish themselves as a top level prospect and secure offers from top college teams, as they pursue their dream of reaching the NBA.
Any advantage over the competition, in amplifying yourself to scouts and teams can mean another look and another opportunity to receive the best offer. As a result of his activity on social media, coverage of McCain was not limited to his stat lines, but rather, commentary on his presence on social media and the resulting impact - more fans at games etc. As McCain progressed in high school and his social media numbers only climbed, he was covered and featured by other pages looking to attract some of his audience or capitalise on his growth. McCain increased his visibility massively. He of course is an outlier, however the principle and utility behind his approach remains - more numbers and fans means more coverage and more looks for more opportunities.
BUILD A PERSONAL BRAND
McCain’s rise to social media stardom was not limited to TikTok dances. While his dancing clips amassed millions of views, it was the personality he was showing, as well as his performances on the court, that helped him build his personal brand. How he carried himself, with an ever increasing number of eyes on him and clips being made of him, meant he endeared himself with the fans and followers across the nation.
He implemented his real personality into his content and when he became the focus of a dedicated docuseries on YouTube, this self-expression and intimate look into his lifestyle deepened his connection with existing followers and helped him grow to reach new audiences. The lesson behind McCain’s growth and strong personal brand is clear - being yourself, leaning into your interests and being bold enough to share that with your online audience, can pay massive dividends as it strengthens the connection fans and followers have with you.
COLLABORATE WITH BRANDS
Late in his high school career Jared McCain announced his partnership with beverage brand, Lemon Perfect, a comparatively modest brand in the industry. In college, McCain partnered with footwear titan - Crocs. Following the NBA draft, during which he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, McCain partnered with Amazon, promoting his own shopfront and a number of products. These are of course, not the only endorsements, collaborations or other partnerships McCain has entered into over the course of his young career.
He has even sold his own merch line, independently in high school and in partnership with Duke University, during his time in college. McCain boasted an audience that attracted household brands and industry leaders in what would be lucrative partnerships. Each time, McCain can be observed promoting products that make sense for his personal brand and audience.
Jared McCain is an example of the truth that athletes with an audience present a strong opportunity for brands, at any level and these partnerships, when executed well, can result in creative marketing and significant returns for brand partners. The NBA rookie is on track for even bigger and better endorsements down the line as his status as a top level professional only serves to bolster his reach and allure for potential brand partners. As the marketing landscape continues to shift toward a social media and personality dominated place, athletes of all levels have an opportunity to insert themselves into the array of options for brands.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
McCain worked with content creators throughout his journey to the NBA, as well as of course, creating content of his own. While known by many for his content on TikTok, he built a cult following with YouTuber Nickinthecutt and his docuseries “Believe” starring McCain. The intimate series included 3 seasons which followed Jared’s journey through high school and college and more recently, up to the NBA Draft. This series allowed Jared to engage with his growing audience, speak with his own voice and shed light on the lifestyle that got him to the league.
Now, an NBA rookie with millions of followers across platforms, he presents as an athlete with strong prospects and stock, not only because of his elite ability to play basketball, but also because of the eyes he brings with him, for teams and brands. Jared’s audience was not grown solely off the back of his notoriety as an elite prospect, nor uniquely off the back of viral videos on TikTok. It was a combination of his performance on the court and persistence on social media. The intimate docuseries allowed a look behind the curtain and content that shares such a personal side of the life of an athlete, leads to fans feeling a strong connection with them and actively engaging with and supporting what they do. Athletes should engage with their audience, whether by sharing greater access, joining in on the commentary or jokes or otherwise interacting with the fans who support them. Fans with strong connections to athletes are an asset to athletes in and out of competition and prop athletes up when it comes to the business of sport.
In summary, Jared McCain is a strong example of a modern athlete, rising through the ranks of competition and reaching the highest level, all while using social media to build a following, connect with his audience and work with brands. As his journey becomes less uncommon with the rise of social media and its level of access to sport, it’s clear that athletes of all levels can benefit from taking advantage of the modern digital landscape. Where sport and social media meet, the athlete’s of the future, at all levels, will need to be equipped to engage to get the most out of what’s available.
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