Jared McCain's viral dance fame and hoop skills shine for OKC Thunder in 2026 playoffs

Jared McCain, known for his basketball and viral dance moves, connects with fans at Oklahoma City airport after a road trip.

Airport celebrations turn into dance floors Oklahoma City Thunder fans gathered behind a tall fence at the airport to greet returning players after road trips, sometimes in the middle of the night. On April 11, fans held signs and cheered loudly for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Luguentz Dort, but the excitement peaked when Jared McCain arrived. He jumped up and down, high-fiving fans before climbing onto a makeshift stage where screams of "OKC" echoed through the terminal. With arms raised, he launched into a signature dance, snapping his head left, stepping forward, flexing his arms, and swirling his hands in circles while alternating feet. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams, and Isaiah Joe laughed, filmed, and cheered McCain on as he performed. ## From high school clips to multi-million follower empire McCain’s dance videos have become a social media phenomenon since his first TikTok post on February 6, 2020. His choreography turns obscure sounds into viral hits, attracting endorsements from brands like Crocs, Sally Hansen, and DoorDash. Even in high school, McCain signed his first sponsorship deal under NIL rules for California prep athletes. Now a guard for the top-seeded Thunder in the NBA playoffs, McCain has over 5 million followers on TikTok—more than the combined follower counts of the Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers franchises. His videos have earned 223 million likes and counting, blending his life as a professional basketball player with his vibrant persona as a TikTok creator. ## Two identities, one impactful platform McCain’s teammates saw the airport dance as fun content creation, but for him, it showcased the reach of his platform. His influence extends to fans who may never have seen him hit a three-pointer but still recognize him from TikTok. "I think it's really cool that people come up to me and still don't know I play basketball," McCain told reporters. "They only know me from TikTok. I think that's really cool. The fact that I have two different platforms like that, two different ways of knowing me, I think it's awesome." ## Gilgeous-Alexander joins the dance craze Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 6.6 assists during the season, played a role in McCain’s viral moment by using his phone to record the dance for a future TikTok post. The video featured a remix of Rihanna and Drake’s "Work" and amassed 5 million views in less than a week. Jaylin Williams shared his own take on TikTok with the caption "show them that lil dance you be doin," and it quickly became one of his most-viewed posts. McCain emphasized the positive impact on younger generations, saying, "Being able to just influence positivity and being able to be yourself no matter what the situation is to the younger generation." ## Dance roots stretch back to childhood and Disney McCain’s dancing journey began in his freshman year at Centennial High School in Corona, California, where his first TikTok showed him dancing with a teammate. The COVID-19 lockdowns later gave him more time to post, with dancing as his primary content despite having no formal training. "It's just from birth, man. It's from birth," McCain explained, crediting his parents for his rhythm. "Shout out my Mom and Dad, man. They got rhythm. I feel like I got it from them and it just kind of takes practice. Usually some time and practice." He drew inspiration from the Disney series "High School Musical" to refine his style. ## TikTok stardom grows alongside basketball success In May 2021, McCain’s videos started hitting six figures regularly. He collaborated with NFL wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who is also known for his dance videos. The Centennial High School locker room became a TikTok legend after McCain returned following his 2024 draft by the 76ers, posting a video with the caption "[If you know you know] this locker room," which surpassed 15 million views. His viral posts after games during the Nike EYBL Peach Jam tournament in July 2021 drew comments like "Bro makes this then drops 45" and "Aau star by day TikTok star by night," marking the start of his dual recognition as both athlete and creator. ## College recruitment intertwined with TikTok fame As McCain’s TikTok following grew, so did his basketball recruitment. He documented his recruitment process with posts set to trending audio, such as his official visit to Louisville with the "Ski x Surf" track and his visit to the University of Houston. McCain shared his commitment to Duke in March 2022 via TikTok, earning over 3 million views. Duke’s coach Jon Scheyer had no concerns about social media affecting McCain’s performance and was proven right as McCain averaged 14.3 points and five rebounds per game in his freshman season, helping Duke reach the Elite Eight. Post-game celebrations included dancing teammates, with one fan commenting, "imagine being Houston hearing this in the other locker room." ## From 76ers rookie to Thunder trade target The 76ers selected McCain with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, and he marked the occasion with four TikTok posts. By 2026, his videos included comments like "Imagine if Jared was on the Thunder," a sentiment that became reality when he was traded to Oklahoma City at the 2026 deadline. McCain described balancing his social media presence with basketball as similar to other athletes with branded accounts. "We have a social media account and a lot of them do brand deals and stuff. And for me the TikTok posting is stuff that I've been doing for a long time," he said. "So I kind of know how to balance it whether it's timing of posting after losses like, not really posting then." ## Draft day celebration and rookie highlight reels His first TikTok in an NBA jersey came shortly after being drafted, captioned "First tiktok in a NBA JERSEYYY," and became his second-most-liked video with nearly 3 million likes. Fans followed his journey from freshman to lottery pick, and his rookie performance reflected that growth—he averaged 15.3 points per game over 23 games. Locker room videos continued, including a popular one with veteran guard Kyle Lowry that exceeded 7 million likes. After a season-ending injury, McCain shared post-surgery thoughts on TikTok, expressing gratitude for fan support. "Just being on social media, of course you see Jared. You see his TikToks all over," Jaylin Williams told reporters. "But I mean really at the time, I just saw him as a young kid doing TikToks." ## Thunder arrival marked by emotional and humorous posts After being traded to the Thunder on February 2, McCain’s first post about the move came two days later—a "tribute to Philly" featuring a snippet of Olivia Dean’s "A Couple Minutes." His next post celebrated his arrival in Oklahoma City, wearing an "OKC" shirt and dancing in his hotel room with the caption "I need a new home," which earned over 2 million likes. McCain said the post reflected his authentic emotions to the TikTok community amidst his first trade. His Thunder teammates, unfamiliar with his TikTok fame, soon joined in, with Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein appearing in a video dancing to Milky’s "Just The Way You Are" while McCain performed. ## Teammates negotiate cuts and future collabs Williams and Hartenstein stood proudly in the background of McCain’s March 1 video, almost like elder brothers watching over him. "We had just arrived late into a city and we just randomly put it on and they wanted to be in it and so we just put it together," McCain explained. Williams playfully interrupted to call it a "generational opportunity" before joking, "We should get a percentage.. We should get a thousand [dollars]." Hartenstein and Williams teased McCain about earnings from the video, speculating he secured another endorsement deal since he’s not part of TikTok’s creator fund. The trio eventually reached a handshake agreement for a cut of McCain’s next TikTok endorsement video without involving agents. Williams then discovered the video’s massive like count, leading them to finalize their deal terms. ## A trendsetter before and beyond the pandemic TikTok’s rise coincided with McCain’s early career, and he has become a leading example of athletes leveraging the platform. His influence extends to young fans who say he inspires them to express themselves. "I just think over time it's kind of been like that. Whether kids coming up to me saying that I inspire them to do certain things, but I'm just doing me," McCain said. "Then whatever comes out of it [positively] is good." His journey from high school dancer to NBA player with a massive social media following reflects a new era of athlete branding and fan connection.