Blue Cain ready to show he's got more than just an unusual first name
The question posed to Georgia freshman Blue Cain was an obvious one: How did he come to have such an unusual first name?
His answer actually made sense.
“My dad went to Duke, and he said if he ever had a son, he’d name him Blue,” Cain said. “I’ve got three sisters, so when I came, they named me Blue.”
Cain has plenty of game to go with an unusual first name.
Originally signed by Georgia Tech, Cain was released from his scholarship after the Yellow Jackets made its coaching change. Mike White wasted no time making his pitch.
Cain said the choice was an easy one.
“It was just the relationship with the coaching staff and the belief and love they showed in me from the very beginning,” Cain said. “I liked the culture and identity they’re building over here.”
Cain feels he brings an all-around game to the Bulldogs, somebody who not only can handle the ball and score, but contribute as a defender on the other end of the court.
As one of four freshmen signed by White and his staff, Cain intends to take advantage of whatever opportunities he happens to receive.
“My identity is just to try to be a well-rounded player, and do whatever the team needs,” Cain said. “We’ve got a lot of players like that. We just want to win, want to compete, and I like that."
Teammate RJ Melendez likes what he’s seen, not only from Cain, but from all four true freshmen on the team.
“They speak up. They’re not scared, they’re ready--physically and mentally. We’ll see the first couple of games how they play, but I feel like these four freshmen are ready to go,” Melendez said. “I’m not worried about them. Whenever their moment comes, I feel they’ll be ready for it.”
Cain’s high school record backs up the talent he brings to the court and why the Bulldogs were so anxious to add him to the team.
• Averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 61.1 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from 3-point range for IMG’s Ascenders.
• Helped IMG Academy post an 18-8 record, reach the semifinals of the 2023 Geico Nationals, and finish No. 9 in ESPN’s SCNext national boys’ basketball rankings.
• Scored a game-high 21 points in IMG’s 66-63 win over Prolific Prep in the quarterfinals of the Geico Nationals, headlined by his spinning, banked-in, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from just past halfcourt.
• Voted all-state by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) as both a sophomore and a junior.
• In 85 games played during three seasons at Knoxville Catholic, compiled 1213 points (14.3 points per game, 400 rebounds (4.7 rebounds per game), 253 assists (3.0 assists per game), and 191 steals (2.2 steals per game) while helping the Fighting Irish to a combined record of 74-12.
• As a junior, averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 2.7 steals, leading the Fighting Irish to a 28-4 record and runner-up finish in the Tennessee Division II-AA state tournament.
After leaving Tech, Cain chose Georgia over a host of schools, including Florida among others.
“It was pretty hectic, probably more so for my mother. She was a lot more stressed out than I was. But I had a lot of good resources around me to help navigate that,” Cain laughed. “She just wanted to know where her son was going to college. She would have been supportive. She’s from Knoxville but went to George Washington, so she knew what it was like. But I know she’s definitely glad it’s close so she can come to more games.”
Cain’s mom knows her way around the basketball court, too.
The former Myriah Lonergan became the ninth women’s basketball player in GW history to be elected to that school’s athletic hall of fame following a standout career from 1992-96. His older sister Sophie is a sophomore setter on the volleyball team at Appalachian State.
“It was really competitive (at home), and it still is,” Cain said. “My sister is a very good athlete and I look up to her a lot.”
Cain’s Bulldog teammates are learning he also has plenty of potential himself.
“He’s a talented guy. He can really shoot the ball. If he’s wide open, I can just run back on defense because I know he’s going to make it. I trust him with the ball in his hands,” Melendez said. “He’s a really good player as a freshman; not a lot of freshmen can come in and make big-time plays. He’s improved a lot this summer, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does.”
Cain said he’s ready to give it his all.
“I just need to make sure that I’m talking and communicating,” Cain said. “There’s making sure I’m physical, but mainly just be sure that I keep communicating.”