Editor's Note: This story was originally published in January 2014 and has been edited to include what has transpired recently.

As the dream of becoming a McDonald's All-American has grown over the years, so has the scrutiny of the annual roster selections. Twenty five years ago, the picks were announced and few people had the knowledge or insight to argue them. Before the Internet, YouTube and social media, information on great high school players traveled slower around the country than it does now. Only a handful of national scouts truthfully saw a majority of the nation's best players.

"Sonny Vaccaro began his game nine years before me (1965) when I started the Capital Classic in 1974," McDonald's All-American Game founder Bob Geoghan said in 2014. "I was always honest with people and told them for the Capital Classic, I did what was in the best interests of the game. The McDonald's Game was different because you had to be voted on, and I decided I would not have a vote. As the founder and executive director, I would never have a vote. It's not a perfect system, but I hand-picked a number of people who were legitimate talent evaluators.

"In some of the early years, we only picked 20 players," Geoghan said. "I always felt we picked the best we could. It's always hard to project late-bloomers and some of the guys who were can't miss, didn't make it anywhere."

The McDonald's Selection Committee came under scrutiny in the late 1990s and 2000s for some of the selections, including a grey area of allowing some fifth-year players to participate and others not to. To its credit, the game's organizers realized the selection committee needed to be expanded to include younger, more mobile, talent evaluators so a new crop of credible talent scouts were brought into the fold. This infusion of scouts, who are regulars on the recruiting trail, helped curtail a majority of that scrutiny in recent years.

"I started with about 12, but the voting committee slowly expanded because I wanted to make it as democratic as possible," Geoghan said. "I always lamented one of the voters picking a player because he saw them once -- and saw him play his best game -- and said 'he has to be a McDonald's All-American.'"

Not everyone is happy with the annnual selections. With a task as enormous and important as nailing down the nation's 24 best high school players, it comes with the territory that the end result will produce a deserving player or two being left off.

And we're not talking about great talents without a high school resume, or who were injured or fifth-year players ineligible for the game. We're talking about players who enjoyed some success in grassroots basketball and monster success with their high school team.

Over the years, there's been some All-American-level players overlooked and today we decided to give them their proper acclaim.

Top 12 Players Who Should Have Been McDonald's All-Americans
(List does not include those ineligible for the game because of age, academics, injury or because they were post-graduate players. Players who fall in one of these categories include Anfernee Hardaway, Schea Cotton and John Wall; All-Star Sports rankings began in 1979 and the Hoop Scoop in 1984)

1. Glen Rice, Northwestern (Flint, Mich.) 6-7 F (1985)
Ranking: No. 8 (Hoop Scoop), No. 13 (All-Star Sports)
Whenever the term McDonald's snub is used, it conjures up an image of this sweet-shooting forward. Michigan's Mr. Basketball for 1985, Rice averaged 20.8 ppg on a 27-1 team as a junior and was even better his senior season. Northwestern finished 28-0 and ranked No. 4 nationally by USA Today. "The committee didn't choose him, but we knew of him because, back then, coaches called to make sure we knew about a kid. Quite frankly, they didn't know how the team was picked," Geoghan said.

2. Rod Strickland, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-2 G (1985)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 4 (All-Star Sports)
Led Harry Truman (Bronx, N.Y.) to a state federation title as a junior and was a consensus Top 20 ranked prospect, but transferred to Oak Hill for his senior season. Oak Hill didn't have the sterling reputation it does now and current Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told us Strickland was "a handful." As an assistant coach on that team, one of Smith's job was keeping Strickland in line. "I don't remember him particularly, but character counts to a certain degree," Geoghan said. Strickland was arguably the nation's best point guard and at Sonny Vaccaro's Roundball Classic, he was the U.S. team MVP with 20 points, six steals and three assists.

3. Onyeka Okongwu, Chino Hills (Calif.) 6-8 C (2019)
Ranking: No. 8 (Hoop Scoop), No. 22 (All-Star Sports)
Okongwu is known best for helping an already legendary Huskies club go 35-0 to capture the 2016 FAB 50 national championship when the Big O was a 14-year old freshman. After Melo Ball (another 14-year old starter on that team) left school, Okongwu became more of a focal point of the offense and simply dominated California ball because his impeccable defensive instincts and timing never wavered. He finished his career with three CIF state titles and is a two-time Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball. He also helped his Compton Magic travel club capture a mythical grassroots national title in 2018 with 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in a 81-79 overtime victory over Team Takeover.

4. Marc Wilson, Calvert Hall (Towson, Md.) 6-1 G (1982)
Ranking: Third Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)
The point guard on the No. 1 ranked team in the country by the National Sports News Service (precursor to FAB 50), Wilson was a clutch player and a demon on the fast break, according to coach Mark Amatucci. Wilson got off to a great start his senior season and nowadays, that likely would have created a spot for him on the team in the mold of Tyler Lewis (2012) or Nigel Williams-Goss (2013). Calvert Hall finished 34-0, winning the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic, the Pepsi Cola Challenge and the Alhambra Tournament along the way. On one of the first teams to truly play a national schedule, Money was better the bigger the game was.

5. Trevor Ariza, Westchester (Los Angeles) 6-8 F (2003)
Ranking: No. 18 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)
Ariza might not have had the greatest summer heading into his senior season and was a bit of a position-less monster, but his talent was immense. A consensus Top 20 prospect, Ariza averaged averaged 22 points and eight rebounds per game on a deep and talented team. Westchester finished 33-3 and ranked No. 4 in the FAB 50. It's not hard to find a guy in the 2003 game that Ariza should have replaced (whereas some years it's difficult to do that).

6. Cameron Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3 G (2020)
Ranking: No. 25 (Hoop Scoop), No. 25 (247 Composite)
Steve Smith has coached 33 McDonald’s All-Americans up to this point at the famous Southwest Virginia boarding school and was a bit perplexed his sweet-shooting guard was not No. 34. The normally mild Smith had something to say about it on social media. Thomas left the storied program as its all-time leading scorer and had a spectacular senior season. Thomas scored 1,258 points, just shy of the single-season school record of 1,312 points held by 2008 Mr. Basketball USA Brandon Jennings. He averaged 31.4 ppg for a 37-3 team that finished No. 9 in the FAB 50. In the summer pro, he was the Nike EYBL's leading scorer (29 ppg) and took Boo Williams to the Peach Jam title game.

7. Tyrone Bogues, Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 5-3 G (1983)
Ranking: No. 24 (All-Star Sports)
Teammate Reggie Williams (No. 4 All-Star Sports) was the Mr. Basketball USA choice on a team some observers feel is the best high school team, ever. With a dozen other players on the roster who could play at the D1 level, it's easy to see how Bouges was a bit overlooked. He shouldn't have been, however, because he was Dunbar's team MVP, averaging eight points, 10 assists and eights steals per game. Bouges dominated games with his determination, ball-hawking defense and stamina. "He got the MVP of the Capital Classic," Geoghan said. "I think because of his height, they said he was a water bug, and because Reggie Williams was projected to be a star, Bouges got overlooked. Nobody I knew at the time projected him to be a great college player. To be honest with you, we took Muggsy because we couldn't get Reggie."

8. DeAndre Jordan, Christian Life (Humble, Texas) 6-11 C (2007)
Ranking: No. 24 (Hoop Scoop), No. 22 (All-Star Sports)
The Class of 2007 was a special group, one of the greatest classes of all-time. Looking at the big men in the class, however, it's easy to see that Jordan belonged. He played outstanding ball at the 2006 ABCD Camp, ranking as the No. 12 performer in camp by the Hoop Scoop. As a senior averaged 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots per game. Jordan did play in the final Roundball Classic, scoring six points and blocking six shots.

9. Sergio McClain, Manual (Peoria, Ill.) 6-4 F (1997)
Ranking: No. 32 (Hoop Scoop), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)
Sure, McClain's game didn't translate into superstardom on the next levels, but that shouldn't have kept him from being recognized as a McDonald's All-American. The leading scorer on the nation’s top-ranked team (18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists), his value in fourth quarter, pressure situations simply can’t be measured by any stat. McClain was one of high school basketball's ultimate winners, helping Manual win four straight Class AA state championships. He was chosen Mr. Basketball in Illinois, even over teammate and McDonald's All-American Marcus Griffin.

10. Kawhi Leonard, M.L. King (Riverside, Calif.) 6-7 F (2009)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 50 (All-Star Sports)
A classic example of a later bloomer and a player who didn't get the proper exposure on the grassroots circuit, Leonard was a part-time starter as a high school sophomore. He kept working on his game and after transferring to King helped the Wolves to two consecutive CIF Div. I SoCal regional finals. Whenever a majority of the selection committee got to see him play, however, he was overshadowed by McDonald's All-American Renardo Sidney on the L.A. Dream Team, a grassroots travel team created for Sidney. Halfway through his senior season (in which he averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) it was evident to many Leonard should have been on the team. He was on his way to a cinch Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball selection.

11. Jamal Mashburn, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-8 F (1990)
Ranking: No. 4 (Hoop Scoop), No. 8 (All-Star Sports)
Perhaps the voters didn't want to make the game too New York City heavy. Perhaps he came on a bit late. Mashburn, however, got plenty of exposure playing for the legendary New York Gauchos travel team and in the most competitive high school basketball league in the country at the time (C.H.S.A.A.). The four other players from the CHSAA he made first team all-state with (Tolentine's Adrian Autry and Brian Reese and Christ the King's Khalid Reeves and Derrick Phelps) were McDonald's All-Americans, but it was Mashburn who was named New York's Mr. Basketball. He led Hayes to its first CHSAA title since 1944 by scoring 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing four assists in the 52-46 championship game win over All Hallows. If you include Oak Hill Academy's Anthony Cade, New York City produced five McDonald's All-Americans that season, but Mash wasn't one of them. From a national rankings perspective, Mash could easily be No. 3 or No. 4 on this list.

12. Leon Wood, St. Monica’s (Santa Monica, Calif.) 6-3 G (1979)
Ranking: First Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting), No. 25 (All-Star Sports)?
Similar to DeAndre Jordan, Wood played in a loaded class, so it was likely a numbers' game. Wood, however, was arguably the best shooter in the class. He stood out at the '78 Superstar Camp, according to noted skills trainer Ruben Luna. "I saw Leon beat Paul Westphal in H-O-R-S-E with the whole camp yelling, 'Take him outside Leon.' He was raining from deep." As a senior, he averaged 41.5 ppg and was his team's MVP in two games at the Roundball Classic.

13. Imari Sawyer, M.L. King (Chicago) 6-2 G (2000)
Ranking: No. 19 (Hoop Scoop), No. 23 (All-Star Sports)
A consensus Top 25 player, Sawyer was a scoring guard who could also pass the rock with flash. As a senior, he averaged 31 points and 12 assists per game. Even if he had a slow start to his senior year or a couple of bad outings in the summer, it's not as if voters didn't know who he was coming from a program that previously produced numerous All-Americans. Sawyer finished his high school career with 3,005 points.

Others Whom Should Be Prominently Mentioned:
(Listed by graduating class and national class ranking)

TyTy Washington, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-4 G (2021)
Ranking: No. 25 (Hoop Scoop), No. 15 (247 Composite)

E.J. Liddell, Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.) 6-7 F (2019)
Ranking: No. 15 (Hoop Scoop), No. 37 (All-Star Sports)

Javonte Smart, Scotlandville Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-4 G (2018)
Ranking: No. 21 (Hoop Scoop), No. 33 (All-Star Sports)

Emmitt Williams, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-7 F (2018)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Chris Lykes, Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.) 5-8 G (2017)
Ranking: No. 21 (Hoop Scoop), No. 44 (All-Star Sports)

Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-6 F (2016)
Ranking: No. 6 (Hoop Scoop), No. 19 (All-Star Sports)

Cassius Winston, U-D Jesuit (Detroit) 6-0 G (2016)
Ranking: No. 26 (Hoop Scoop), No. 31 (All-Star Sports)

Tyler Dorsey, Maranatha (Pasadena, Calif.) 6-5 G (2015)
Ranking: No. 12 (Hoop Scoop), No. 27 (All-Star Sports)

Nick Emery, Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 6-1 G (2013)
Ranking: No. 56 (Hoop Scoop), No. 61 (All-Star Sports)

Sam Dekker, Sheboygan Lutheran (Sheboygan, Wis.) 6-7 F (2012)
Ranking: No. 17 (Hoop Scoop), No. 21 (All-Star Sports)

Dorian Finney-Smith, Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) 6-7 F (2011)
Ranking: No. 43 (Hoop Scoop), No. 25 (All-Star Sports)

B.J. Young, McCluer North (Florissant, Mo.) 6-4 G (2011)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 37 (All-Star Sports)

Damion James, Nacogdoches (Texas) 6-8 F (2006)
Ranking: No. 23 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Kevin Bookout, Stroud (Okla.) 6-8 C (2002)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Doug Wrenn, O’Dea (Seattle) 6-7 F (1998)
Ranking: No. 14 (Hoop Scoop), No. 47 (All-Star Sports)

Kenny Brunner, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) 5-9 G (1997)
Ranking: No. 9 (Hoop Scoop), No. 41 (All-Star Sports)

Ricky Davis, North (Davenport, Iowa) 6-5 G (1997)
Ranking: No. 13 (Hoop Scoop), No. 11 (All-Star Sports)

Jason Hart, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-3 G (1996)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 21 (All-Star Sports)

Kenny Thomas, Albuquerque (N.M.) 6-8 C (1995)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 12 (All-Star Sports)

Tremaine Fowlkes, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) 6-7 F (1994)
Ranking: No. 27 (Hoop Scoop), No. 18 (All-Star Sports)

Michael Spruell, Albany (Ga.) 6-1 G (1994)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 41 (All-Star Sports)

Andre Woolridge, Benson (Omaha, Neb.) 6-2 G (1992)
Ranking: No. 23 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Harold Miner, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-5 G (1989)
Ranking: No. 22 (Hoop Scoop), No. 29 (All-Star Sports)

Curt "Trouble" Smith,?Coolidge (Washington, D.C.) 5-10 G (1989)
Ranking: No. 33 (Hoop Scoop), No. 54 (All-Star Sports)

Richard Dumas, Washington (Tulsa, Ok.) 6-6 F (1987)
Ranking: No. 22 (Hoop Scoop), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)

Stacy Augmon, Muir (Pasadena, Calif.) 6-8 F (1986)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 8 (All-Star Sports)

Len Bias, Northwestern (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-8 F (1982)
Ranking: First Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting); No. 8 (All-Star Sports)

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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This year's NBA Draft is supposed to field one of the deepest crop of impact players in recent memory. Which teams will make the right decisions in the lottery? Make sure to check out our special NBA Draft "In The Paint" podcast , Devin Ugland's NBA Draft Board watch our second annual Ballislife NBA Draft Party on July 29 at 6:15 pm ET/3:15 PT to get our insight before the draft and as the top picks unfold.

RELATED: NBA Draft podcast | Ballislife NBA Draft Board | Ballislife Podcast Network

Devin Ugland's NBA Draft Day Steals

Jared Butler, Baylor (Junior), 6-3 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 30
Butler proved that not only could he improve individually over the course of his college career, but that he also impacts winning in high level games as he led the Bears to the 2021 NCAA Tournament title. Butler is a heady and smart lead guard who can play both on or off the ball. In his final season at Baylor, Butler shot 41.6 percent from three-point range and just over 47 percent from the field overall. Guys like Butler. who are drafted to a good team late in the first round, usually end up in a good situation where they can ease into the NBA game in a back-up style role.  I'm confident Butler has the intangibles, leadership and shot making ability to be a long-term NBA guard.

Quentin Grimes, Houston (Junior), 6-5 CG (Age 21)
Projected Pick: No. 32
Though we have Grimes slotted as an early second round pick, I can see a few teams picking in the late first round who could use his services. Grimes got off to a bit of a rocky start to his college career at Kansas before transferring to Houston where he put up numbers consistent with his Top 10 ranking coming out of high school. I like Grimes to be a draft steal because he has an NBA body, showed poise in big game situations and shooting and playmaking at his size should translate well to the pro game. Something else that stands out about Grimes is the success he had after leaving Kansas with some labeling his a "bust."

Kessler Edwards, Pepperdine (Junior), 6-8 SF (Age 21)
Projected Pick: No. 44
Edwards is one of the more unheralded prospects in this draft - both when he was coming out of high school and now coming out of college. The 6-foot-8 swingman has a ton of versatility to his game due to his combination of length, fluid athleticism and lateral mobility on the defensive end of the floor. Edwards averaged 17.2 points per game as a junior on 55.3 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three and hit 87.6 percent of his free throws. Those are solid percentages for an inside-out type of scorer who prefers to operate in the mid-range area of the floor. NBA teams might have to be patient with his three-point shooting stroke as he gets used to the deeper line.

Ronnie Flores' NBA Draft Day Steals

Cam Thomas, LSU (Freshman), 6-4 SG (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 16 
This former Oak Hill Academy (VA) standout is one of the most accomplished scorers in the draft at any pick.  Any questions about being a shoot-first, volume player at his draft position will quickly be quelled by his talent level and ability to adjust and find the right role that will maximize his potential. LSU had bouts of selfishness across the board and I think he’ll excel down the line because of his innate ability to score and draw fouls.

Miles McBride, West Virginia (Sophomore), 6-2 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 29
I like winners and tough guards and "Deuce" foots the bill. He was way better in HS than the recruiting evaluators gave him credit for coming out of Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), where he was a key cog on a FAB 50 ranked team. He led teams that won back-to-back D1 states titles, had a 49-game winning streak and went 29-0 his senior year. That type of production (not to mention defense) from a team standpoint translates. In two college seasons, McBride became a viable NBA prospect by improving his shooting (shot .414 from 3-point range in 2020-21) and increasing his play-making while his turnover count remained low. Obviously size will come into play for some teams with regards to where he lands, but whom ever needs a quality back up better take a long, hard look because he makes up for his lack of size with terrific on-ball defense, athleticism, instincts and a winner's mentality.

John Petty Jr., Alabama (Senior), 6-5 SF (Age 22)
Projected Pick: No. 58
If Petty can display solid enough ball-handling, I think he can stick in the NBA. He’s always been a good shooter (.370 3-point) and can get the ball up against good defenders. He has the ability to get hot and played with other talented scorers on a balanced Alabama team and should have no trouble being productive in what would be limited minutes if he makes a roster down the line. If Petty improves on the nuances of the game, he can be a complete steal late in this draft. I like reliability in the range he's may get drafted at instead of taking a big gamble on a project.

Devin's Draft Day Enigmas

Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (Senior), 6-7 G/F (Age 22)
Projected Pick: No. 11
It's always risky when you take a specialist-type prospect with a lottery pick and Kispert is absolutely one of the best shooters in the draft. The questions with Kispert are: what else does he do well that translates to the NBA? Can he guard and rebound his position well enough to see extended minutes? At age 22 with four years of college under his belt, what type of upside is there for him? I think Kispert is valued so highly because NBA teams are putting an emphasis on players who can spread the floor with limited dribbles, and while I think Kispert would be a safe pick in the mid to late first round range, taking him in the middle to the end of the lottery could be a risky decision.

Sharife Cooper, Auburn (Freshman), 6-0 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 19
Cooper is an enigma in two different ways: I think there's a chance he could out-play his draft position (if selected around this projected range) or a guy who doesn't quite live up to the expectations of a first round selection. Cooper is an extremely talented ball handler who has great feel for the game and possesses the passing instincts necessary to play the PG spot in the NBA. There are, however, questions about his size, burst in transition and with his first step, and his lackluster three-point shooting percentage from the college line (22.8 percent) in 12 games. I don't see Cooper slipping out of the first round, but there are some shortcomings that could make NBA front offices second guess picking him.

Ziaire Williams, Stanford (Freshman), 6-8 SF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 20
Williams has shown flashes of having all the tools to become a solid NBA wing, but his up-and-down season at Stanford cooled his draft stock after many believed he was a surefire lottery pick heading into the 2020-21 college basketball season. The 6-foot-8 wing averaged just 10.7 points per game in 20 games for the Cardinal and shot 37.4 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from 3-point range. In addition to those poor shooting numbers, Williams had a streak to close the season where he scored in single digits in five of his last seven games, a stretch where Stanford went 2-5.

Ronnie's Draft Day Enigmas

Jonathan Kuminga, G League Ignite (1st Year Pro), 6-8 SF (Age 18)
Projected Pick: No. 6
Evaluating some of the G League Ignite games, Kuminga's skill and production level simply didn’t indicate a top 4-5 pick to me. Does he have loads of potential? Absolutely, plus he's a bit younger than a majority of the other prospects at the top of this draft. He also has the frame and explosiveness many NBA GMs cost. However, he shoots a low percentage (38.7 FG, 24.6 3-point, 62.5 FT), needs tons of work on what to do without the ball and his decision making left alot to be desired in those G League games. He does have plenty of potential, but not much experience even dominating at the high school level. Will that potential blossom? There’s would be a lot less pressure for him going at No. 6 through 8 than No. 3 or No. 4. The lower he goes, the more I like his chances for long-term success.

Scottie Barnes, Florida St. (Freshman), 6-9 SF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 5
How do you pass on a guy who does so much well? And how do you NOT pass on a guy that simply can’t shoot it well enough for his on court and draft position (27.5 3-point, 62.1 FT)? You do because he can improve his shooting and the other things he excels at (leading, defense, play-making) most of the other draftees simply are not as capable and likely won’t ever be, no mater how much they work on it. I feel Barnes will be a good pro, but if he doesn't pan out at the production level of the pick where he's expected to go (No. 4-5), a GM will be kicking himself in the foot for overlooking the obvious.

Jalen Johnson, Duke (Freshman), 6-9 PF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 14
Will he buy in and be committed to the team that drafts him, or will he excel only in a situation for a team that covets his talents and will be patient with his development? We ask that because he Johnson has one of the biggest draft ranges of any eligible prospect. To me, he has lottery type talent and the make-up of a starting caliber NBA forward, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see him drop to the slot Dev currently has him listed at. There is alot of talent to work with, but not a big body of work. He didn’t have a complete senior high school season (he abruptly left IMG Academy early in the 2019-20 season) nor a complete college season (as he exited the program in a highly-publicized manner). Why is that? What will NBA teams find out when they dig deep on those incidents? Players have to be more talented than their perceived problems and it only takes one team with the right fit to unlock the best version of a talented prospect.

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Today we take a look at five of the country's Best Shooters, the guys who can really stroke it from deep!

Related: Straight Bucket-Getters | Must See Players | Best Dunkers | Top Defenders |

Cameron Thomas

6'3"   -   SG   -   2020

Cameron Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3 2020:
There might not be a better shooting guard in the county that Oak Hill's top overall player. Thomas had a terrific senior campaign and is the crown jewel of LSU's stellar 2020 recruiting class. Thomas averaged over 27 ppg for an Oak Hill team that finished the regular season 37-3 and he was one of the most efficient shooters in the country. That's what makes Thomas one of the best players in the country, not only is he one of the best shooters, he simply doesn't take that many poor percentage shots, which is a terrific quality for an elite player at the high school level.

Nimari Burnett

6'4"   -   CG   -   2020

Nimari Burnett, Prolific Prep (Napa. Calif.) 6-4 2020:
Burnett is one of the best knock-down shooters in the country and parlayed a big summer wit the Why Not EYBL team into a McDonald's All-American nod. The Chicago native has always had sneaky athleticism and can handle the ball well enough for spot point guard duty, but what he does best is stroke the basketball. He's always been a terrific catch-and-shoot scorer, but he's added to his arsenal and can create high percentage shots around the basket, which has made him a more complete player. Burnett made a big-time shot to send Morgan Park (Chicago) to the City Title game as a freshman and has been hitting clutch shots, since, including a half-court shot in a win over Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) in the Duel in the Desert back in November.

Adam Miller

6'3"   -   SG   -   2020

Adam Miller, Morgan Park (Chicago) 6-4 2020:
When it's "Miller Time" it doesn't mean the suds are flowing in the Windy City, it often means the smooth southpaw is knocking down shits from the outside for one of Chicago's best programs. Miller is not only one of the most prolific shooters in the country, he also has one of the most prettiest strokes in all of high school basketball with his lift, arc and follow-through. When a lefty is one, it's a thing of beauty and when Miller is on, there is little defenses can do about it. One of those games came at last year's Fantastic 40 in Las Vegas where he torched the nets for 13 3-pointers and 53 points for the Mac Irvin Fire in a contest versus Seattle Rotary.

RJ Davis, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 5-11 2020:
One of the best overall combo guards in the country, Davis also has one of the best pure strokes in the country as he proved on last year's travel ball circuit and this winter for one of the nation's best teams. He proved that last by knocking down 30-of-64 3-pointers for the New York Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit after averaging 25.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 4.9 apg as a junior. This season for Stepinac, Davis is putting up 26.5, 8.0, and 5.3 for the No. 40 team in the FAB 50. The North Carolina-bound guard is fast and quick, can set up others or do what he does best and stroke that thing.

Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-7 2021:
Some might be a bit surprised to see the talented wing forward on this Shooter list, but there is no doubt Baldwin has one of the smoothest strokes at the high school level. He can create space, excels in isolation, or can score off the move while incorporated in offense. Simply put, there is any glaring holes in his offensive game, as Baldwin can shoot the deep ball, score in the mid-range or score on an array of moves around the basket. Last year's Ballislife National Sophomore of the Year averaged 18.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 3.1 apg for a 24-5 club and was a first team A.P. all-state selection. Expect more national honors this year for the son of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Patrick Baldwin, whose parents both played sports in college and don't want their son to feel extra pressure to stay home and play for dad when every Blue Blood college in the country wants him for their program.  

Ronnie Flores is the National Grassroots Editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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In Episode No. 53 of our In The Paint Show,"  co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland break down the much-anticipated roster release for the 2020 McDonald's All-American Game, which will he held on April 1 in Houston.

Did the committee get it right with its selections? Who was the biggest snub? What does it mean when for the second year in a row, one program (FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy) has three McDonalds' All-Americans after that never happened in the first 41 years of the event? Just how hard is it to make the prestigious all-star game and what is the true percentages of McDonald's All-Americans that make the NBA and more importantly, stick?

Dev and Ron also break down the record six McDonald's All-Americans who made the game from California high schools (the previous record was five in 1997 and again in 2008). Should it have been seven? What is the projection for next season out West?

Ron also goes in on the lack of facts when "reporters" attempt to talk or break down the greatest high school teams of all-time. He doesn't hold any punches!

Dev gives his personal take on the recent MLB baseball scandal involving the Houston Astros and their now-tainted 2017 World Series title. How does it compare to the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the Pete Rose betting scandal or the steroids era?

The fellas also give their take on Zion Williamson's much anticipated NBA debut debut with the New Orleans Pelicans. Should he have sat out the entire 2019-20 season?  This is one of our most hard-hitting episodes yet, so make sure to give it a listen!

SHOW NOTES: Episode 53 Rundown 

To learn more about our hosts, Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland, and to get more information about what "In The Paint" is all about, check out our intro below!

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