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McDonald's All-American Game Notes & Tidbits

*The 2024 game will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston, April 2 (9 pm ET, ESPN). The 2023 game was also played in Houston after the 2022 game was played at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.?

*The first recognized team in 1977 had 15 players and actually played against the DMV team in the Capital Classic, which began in 1974. The actual East vs. West format began in 1978 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.

*Every NCAA championship team since 1978 has had a McDonald’s All-American on its roster except three: 2002 Maryland, 2014 UConn, 2021 Baylor.

*A majority of the teams that have finished No. 1 in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings or by the National Sports News Service before 1987-88 has had a McDonald’s All-American on the roster. The five mythical national championship teams that did not have a future McDonald’s All-American on its roster are: 2009-10 Yates (Houston, Texas), 1998-99 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 1994-95 St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.), 1985-86 Camden (N.J.) and 1985 Spingarn (Washington, D.C.). Five other teams didn’t have a senior McDonald’s All-American, but had a future one as an underclassmen: 2010-11 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) with junior Kyle Anderson, 2004-05 Niagara Falls (N.Y.) with sophomore Johnny Flynn, 1999-00 Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) with junior Tyson Chandler, 1995-96 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) with junior Anthony Perry and 1990-91 Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.) with sophomore Rasheed Wallace.

Programs with the Most McDonald’s All-Americans

35: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of WIlson, Va.) 1980
17: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), 2013
12: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 1979
12: Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 2016
11: IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.) 2017
10: Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 2009
8: St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 1984
7: Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 1983
7: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 1984
6: Camden (N.J.) 1981
6: Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1978
6: Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 1995

Note: Program listed by first year team member selected. Findlay Prep and St. Anthony are now closed. The only Oak Hill Academy McDonald’s All-American selection who wasn’t coached by retired coach Steve Smith was Glen Mayers in 1980. In the past two seasons since he retired as head coach, Oak Hill Academy has not produced a McDonald's All-American. Oak Hill has had some notable players that would be considered snubs as well, most notably Rod Strickland in 1985 and Cam Thomas in 2020. ?

*IMG Academy has produced all of its All-Americans selections since 2016-17 and was the first program to have three players selected in the same year, when the 2019 FAB 50 No. 1 team produced Armando Bacot Jr., Josh Green and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. IMG Academy produced three players for a single game once again in 2022 with Jaden Bradley, Jarace Walker and Keyonte George. IMG Academy produced one selection this year in Syracuse-bound Donnie Freeman. That brings IMG's total to 11 selections in the past eight seasons. ?

*The 2020 FAB 50 title team at Montverde Academy also had three selections: Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham, first five Elite All-American Scottie Barnes and forward Day'Ron Sharpe. This season, Montverde Academy once again has three players selected in Mr. Basketball USA candidates Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Derik Queen (one of three undecided players) and Indiana-bound Liam McNeeley. Montverde Academy has produced the second most McDonald's All-Americans by one program after Oak Hill Academy with 17. With Georgia-bound forward Asa Newell and Baylor-bound point guard Robert Wright not selected for this year's game, it's highly unlikely more than three players from one school in the same season will ever get selected for the game. Wright, in particular, we feel is vastly underrated and rate as a national Top 10 prospect. ?

*Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) produced three selections this year and now is tied with long-time FAB 50 power DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) for third all-time with 12 selections, all in the past nine seasons. Those players are Zoom Diallo (Washington), Aiden Sherrell (Alabama) and Derrion Reid (Alabama). DeMatha's first McDonald's All-American was guard Sidney Lowe as part of the famed 1979 Class.

*In 1977, McDonald's All-American Game Founder Bob Geoghan tapped DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten?as the Selection Committee Chairman. Retired UCLA coach John Wooden was named McDonald's Game Chairman. Geoghan had Wootten coach the U.S. All-Star team in the first McDonald's Capital Classic in 1974. The Naismith Hall of Fame coach was also chosen by Sonny Vaccaro to coach in the first Dapper Dan Roundball Classic in 1965.?

*In 1978-79, DeMatha opened up as preseason No. 1 team in the country after capturing the mythical national title in 1977-78. The Stags finished 28-3 in 1978-79. Lowe's backcourt mate Dereck Whittenburg?wasn't originally selected for the 1979 McDonald's Game, but ended up playing as a late fill-in for injured Jimmy Braddock of Baylor Prep (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Whittenburg ended up making two free throws to send the game into overtime and nailed a jump shot in overtime to give the East team a lead it would not relinquish in a 106-105 victory. Whittenburg was also the hero for the D.C. metro team at the McDonald's Capital Classic against a star-studded U.S. team. He nailed a deep corner jumper with eight seconds remaining to secure the D.C. Metro Team's 86-85 victory. Lowe and Whittenburg both went to N.C. State and were almost joined by Wootten following their freshman season of college. Ultimately, he turned down the N.C. State job to stay at DeMatha. The DeMatha backcourt stars would go on to become NCAA champions under Jim Valvano. In the 1983 NCAA title game, Whittenburg let fly another long-range jumper as time was about to run out -- and it came up a bit short. Teammate Lorenzo Charles, however, slammed home the shot to give NC State a dramatic win over heavily favored Houston.? ?

*The first pair of high school teammates originally selected to the McDonald’s All-American Game were Arron Bain (Villanova) and George Lynch (North Carolina) in 1989 from Flint Hill Prep (Roanoke, Va.).?

*Since 2017, the teams that make up the EYBL Scholastic League (previously known as the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference), plus Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and now defunct Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) account for over 29 percent (55 of a possible 192) of all the McDonald’s All-American selections. The high mark was 11 of the 24 in 2022.

Father-Son McDAAG Duos (In Order Prior):

Doc Rivers, Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) 1980 & Austin Rivers, Winter Park (Fla.) 2011
Gary Springer, Ben Franklin (New York) 1980 & Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2020
Milt Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 1981 & Dajuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 2001
James Blackmon Sr., Marion (Ind.) 1983 & James Blackmon Jr., Marion (Ind.) 2014
Ricky Winslow, Yates (Houston) 1983 & Justise Winslow, St. John’s (Houston) 2014
Rick Brunson, Salem (Mass.) 1991 & Jalen Brunson, Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) 2015
Charles Bannon Sr., Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) 1993 & Charles O’Bannon Jr., Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 2017
Lester Earl, Glen Oaks (Baton Rouge, La.) 1996 & Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2019
Dujuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 2001 & D.J. Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 2023
LeBron James, St. Mary-St. Vincent (Akron, Ohio) 2003 & Bronny James, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 2023

Note: The Wagners are the first father-son-grandson combo to ever play in the game. All three of them played on nationally-ranked teams at Camden (N.J.).?

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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Isaiah Collier, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-3 G
Although he missed some critical free throws at the end of the game, Collier led all scorers with 25 points. At 6-foot-3 or so, Collier has a unique combination of burst and force as a lead guard. He can blow past you or power his way to his spots. The important part is that Collier gets there routinely either way. And he also seems to be a natural playmaker. So in a class with very few "sure things," Collier is probably about as close as it gets. However, if he can tighten up his outside shooting, it would open up the whole floor, providing him with even more upside. So count on me heading out to Los Angeles to see Collier at USC next season, early and often.

Cody Williams, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7 F
Sometimes you have prospects where it's easy to see how they'd translate to the NBA because they're closer to being finished products than others. For example, I see a 6-foot-8 point forward with a near-infinite amount of upside in Colorado signee Cody Williams. Sure, he needs to get stronger and be more efficient with his shooting. Still, considering his size and versatility and how the NBA values positionless multi-talented players like him, I think Williams' potential is through the roof. Think about the success Scottie Barnes found early in his NBA career -- and although they're not exactly the same, Barnes is similar to what I'm hoping for with Williams. So now, it's up to him to take care of business once he gets to Boulder. And I'll be watching closely.

Ron Holland, Duncanville (Texas) 6-8 F
When I started evaluating Holland several years ago, I struggled to grasp who he was as a player. At first glance, he's a little unorthodox and somewhat mechanical. I remember asking myself, is he fluid enough to be a wing or big enough to play inside? I've seen him a lot since then, and I think he's improved his fluidity, giving me more confidence in his ability to play as a big wing. But probably even more importantly, I believe Holland to be one of those players where you probably shouldn't overanalyze it too much because he's just a player that gets it done. He's a winner. After a great season in Austin, head coach Rodney Terry and the Texas Longhorns should be excited to get Holland to town. So is he going to be a one-and-done? I think so.

D.J. Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 6-3 G
Of course, we all know his name now; he's Dajuan Wagner's son. And he's been categorized as one of the top players in this high school class for years. But I'll admit, I have mixed feelings about Wagner. On the one hand, he's super quick, great to the hole, and has a knack for getting buckets. And it's also worth noting he seems to be a great, unselfish teammate that plays the right way. But on the other hand, he's more of a scorer than a point guard, and he's not that big; he has a slight frame. Wagner shot the ball well in this game, knocking down several threes. However, I've questioned the consistency of his outside shooting overall. For example, per Cerebro Sports, in 51 games, Wagner has shot just 28.8% from three-point range on 260 attempts, which worries me. So yes, I have some questions: Can he get stronger? And can he become a more consistent outside shooter? I hope Wagner does answer these questions, but only time will tell.

Aaron Bradshaw, Camden (N.J.) 7-0 C
I've watched Aaron Bradshaw for years, and tracking his progression has been interesting. He's come a long way. At 7 feet plus, Bradshaw has intriguing physical tools, as he's exceptionally long but also mobile. I can see Bradshaw doing many of the blue-collar types of things asked of big men in the NBA: rebounding, protecting the rim, finishing, etc. However, perhaps the most pleasant surprise at the McDAAG was seeing his progression as a shooter. If Bradshaw can add physical strength, be more consistent with his motor, and continue developing his shooting, I could see his value at the NBA level significantly rise.

Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-8 F
It's easy to see why Edwards has been so highly touted. At 6-foot-8 and with an apparent long wingspan, Edwards possesses a well-rounded skillset; he does a little of everything. And although he needs to get stronger, I say that about most players at the same stage. So to put it simply, Edwards has all the tools necessary to become a big-time player at the next level, and there are not necessarily any glaring weaknesses. If Edwards can synergize all his tools and produce next season consistently, I don't think he'll be in Lexington for long.

Ja'Kobe Walter, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-5 G
Last summer, I had the opportunity to spend time with Walter at Damian Lillard's inaugural Formula Zero Elite Camp. Lillard shared Formula Zero's motto, "Character. Hard Work. Accountability." And the thing is, Walter embodies those characterizations very well. He certainly has talent, but I wouldn't say he does anything that blows you away. However, I'm not sure I've seen a player at the same stage with the motor that Walter possesses. He plays extremely hard every second he is on the floor -- and that's something special. Walter is a player that I would not bet against. Head coach Scott Drew and the Baylor Bears have a good one coming.

Omaha Biliew, Waukee (Iowa) 6-9 F
Although he didn't have a standout game, I walked away from the McDAAG impressed by Billiew. At 6-foot-9 and a muscular 210 lbs., Biliew is an impressive and physical athlete that shows promise as a high-energy and versatile big man. I see some shades of likely 2023 NBA Draft prospect Jarace Walker or the Toronto Raptors' Precious Achiuwa. Iowa State doesn't typically sign McDonald's All-Americans, but they have Biliew coming, and I expect him to make some noise next season.

Stephon Castle, Newton (Ga.) 6-6 G
Sometimes I feel like a broken record these days. The NBA has never valued versatility quite like it does currently. So Castle, who's around 6-foot-6 with a solid and athletic build and seemingly can play three different positions on both ends of the floor, naturally intrigues me as a prospect. However, the NBA has never valued floor spacing and outside shooting like today. So Castle checks the boxes for size and versatility, but he has a lot of room for growth with his outside shooting. So to make a long story short, Castle needs to improve as a shooter. And if he does, watch out!

Bronny James, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-3 G
Undoubtedly the most famous player at the McDAAG this year, the amount of buzz and media attention Bronny James demands is unprecedented. And although I don't think the expectations set are necessarily fair for James, he keeps improving. At 6-foot-3, James is an undersized off-ball guard that has become a terrific shooter from outside, especially off the catch-and-shoot. He's also an excellent on-ball defender and extremely explosive like his dad. However, I have questions regarding his lack of point guard skills and feel, and considering his size, it could create some long-term limitations, which is where I'm left thinking some of the lofty expectations from an NBA perspective might be a little much.

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So fast forward to this week, and I arrived in Houston, Texas, to attend the 2023 McDonald's All-American Game.

Throughout my life and career of growing up in and around the game and my various involvement working in basketball, I've had the opportunity to attend many high school All-American events. And typically, there's a lot of fluff, as there are always a lot of top young prospects playing for the cameras rather than playing the game to win, similar to this year's NBA All-Star Game.

So anyway, I got to town a few days before the McDonald's All-American game. In doing so, I was able to attend both the East and West teams' practices. And as soon as I stepped foot in the gym, I could tell this would not be your typical All-American event or all-star game. Contrarily, this year, it was apparent that the players and coaches meant business; no fluff.

As a self-proclaimed basketball purist, Tuesday night's game was refreshing; it was incredible! The kids really got after it from start to finish. They competed as if their careers were on the line. And considering the number of NBA scouts and people like myself that were in attendance this week, that might be the case to a certain extent.

There might not be any prospects in this year's class that are sure to become NBA superstars. However, this group is unique. As an NBA Draft Analyst and scout, naturally, I gravitate to talent as it's a prerequisite to playing at the highest level of basketball. Nothing frustrates me more than evaluating talented players who don't approach the game correctly — to win.

It's been a common narrative that this year's senior class is down in talent. And although that might be true, this group is filled with some ultra-competitive players that I believe are on the right track to maximizing their potential. To name just a few specific players that stood out to me that fit that bill of being high achievers are Isaiah Collier (USC), Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State), Ron Holland (Texas), Sean Stewart (Duke), and Ja'Kobe Walter (Baylor).

Also, another thing that stood out to me is that the prospect in my eyes that might have the most untapped long-term potential is Cody Williams from FAB 50 No. 18 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). And although Williams' stock and value have sky-rocketed over the past year, and he could have gone just about anywhere he wanted, he didn't choose to go to a blue-blood. Instead, he decided to sign with Colorado to play for head coach Tad Boyle, who, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated coaches in the country. Boyle doesn't typically sign 5-star recruits. Instead, he makes the most of the talent he does sign. So to see such a highly touted prospect like Williams choose a school like Colorado makes me like him that much more. And it tells me chances are he will embrace Coach Boyle's coaching and subsequently improve as a player.

Of course, the basketball world is changing dramatically with the emergence of NIL, a polarizing topic. But I'm hopeful that this group of McDonald's All-Americans represents a change in the tides for the basketball industry at the grassroots level, despite the amount of negativity surrounding the new way of operating. I have hope that, although these young prospects now have the opportunity to be paid to be influential basketball players, legally, it has changed their general approach. These young prospects are essentially professionals now, not amateurs. And this class has given me hope that the new age of NIL might be breeding young players who approach the game as just that: professionals.

So to all of the players in Houston this week, congratulations on this outstanding recognition and honor of being named McDonald's All-Americans; it's a big step in your careers. But I'd also like to sincerely thank you for approaching the game the right way, representing the game the right way, and leading the young players that will come after you in the right direction.

The future of our game is in great hands. Thank you!

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Congratulations to all the players selected for this year's game and especially the two from Texas (little hometown bias never hurt): Ron Holland (Duncanville, Dallas) & Texas native Ja’Kobe Walter (Link Year Academy, Branson, Mo.) join the elite group of 24 and will man the courts at the Toyota Center. 

Representation as a whole of Texas players in the annual East vs. West affair that began in 1978, especially over the past ten years, has been strong. ESPECIALLY in comparison to the first ten years of the game. Why is that? I did some research and wanted to take a dive in to this topic.

Let’s start from the very beginning. 

No player from Texas was selected in 1977 (when a group of 15 took on the DMV All-Stars at the Capital Classic and featured Magic Johnson) but in ‘78 Rudy Woods of Bryan High School made the West team and won team MVP of the game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. He is the only player from Texas to win the MVP of the game. In 1979, future 12-year NBA vet Greg Kite (James Madison, Houston) made the field of 24 and that was impressive. From top to bottom that might be the most impressive McDonald's class of all-time.

We didn’t see another player make it to the game until 1983 when Rickie Winslow (Jack Yates, Houston) was selected. Rickie is the father of Justice Winslow (St John’s High School, Houston), who was selected in 2014. The Winslows are the only father-son duo from Texas to be selected for the prestigious game. In ‘85, the father of current Boston Celtic Al Horford made the game. Tito Horford arrived at Marion Christian (Houston) from the Dominican Republic in the upperclassman years of his high school career and made noise quickly.?

Finishing up the first 10 years, in 1987 for the first time we saw two Texas representatives in the game with LaBradford Smith (Bay City High School) and “Grandma Ma” Larry Johnson (Skyline High School, Dallas) LaBradford earned Texas Mr. Basketball in 1987 and was a first round pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. Larry Johnson won a NCAA Title with UNLV in 1990, was the 1st overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and became a 2x NBA All Star. As he proved in high school, college and the NBA before his injuries, Johnson was a special talent even though he might of been overshadowed in many respects by Smith.  

That’s six…a total of six players from Texas that participated in the McDAAG and that was before a time where prep schools were a huge thing. That's significant because Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) was just becoming a national destination in 1987. There weren’t multiple players on a team making the McDAAG like we’ve seen in the past 10 years from the likes of IMG Academy, Montverde Academy, Findlay Prep, etc.

In saying all this, there weren’t many academy type programs, as players made the game mainly from public and parochial schools. There also wasn't many players that represented a school from a particular state, but held permanent residency in another state as you might see now. Texas had six players in the first ten years and was the third largest state by population at the time. Crazy right?

Now looking at the last ten years we have had 27 players originally from Texas make the game. Either that’s Texas natives who played for an academy-type (in which we still count here for argument purposes) or ones that went to school in the Lone Star State. 

2013 and 2014 alone surpassed 1977-1987 by three, as nine players saw their names announced. Since 2013, we have had four years where at least four players from Texas made the game. 2013 had five, there were four in 2014, five in in 2016, and 2022, we saw another five chosen. 

What changed? Did basketball get taken more seriously in Texas? I heard stories of players way before I was born, so it seemed the talent was here.

To get answers I had to ask the ones that witnessed what happened and were part of the history. First was long-time grassroots basketball scout and owner of Texasboysbasketball.com and Xccelerated Sports Metrics, Alan Branch. Next was Horace Coleman from Dallas who was part of grassroots programs Dallas Slamma Jamma who were approached and had contracts with numerous shoe companies and last but not least, current CBSSN Analyst, former Interim Head Coach at Texas Tech and four year point guard at Villanova from 1988-1992 in Chris Walker. Walker also played at Milby High School (Houston) where he was a Converse All-American and an UIL All-State and All-Greater Houston selection team. 

“Well AAU didn’t come onto the scene in Texas until the late 80’s,” Branch said. “They didn’t allow AAU but we could play in Little Dribblers in the summer and play games at the recreation center. The winner of that would go on to the all-city league.”

Starting to make some sense out of it, a court case also opened things up for summer basketball camps in the state. 

“There was only one summer basketball camp a kid in Texas could go to back then and that was in Huntsville and they only invited 30 players,” Coleman said. “When Greg Kite sued the UIL (University Interscholastic League) and won, it started opening up basketball more in Texas which was the start of what we see today.”

Yes, Kite, who participated in the 1979 McDonald’s Game, sued the UIL to allow players to attend summer camps in Texas. The action was actually filed in 1978 by Robert Kite, who was the Next Friend of Greg Kite, due to Greg being a minor at the time. 

Prior to Greg winning the case in the early 80’s, if a player went to a camp that wasn’t approved, under UIL rules that player would have to sit out the entire year of school ball. 

With influential writers and media concentrated on the East Coast at the time, a player from Texas didn’t have many opportunities to play in front of those guys in the spring and/or summer. 

“There was definitely an East Coast bias at the time," Walker said. "A majority of the writers were from the East Coast and the college games you saw on TV were Big East or ACC. TV as a whole wasn’t big like that. Everything was regional. The Southwest Conference didn’t have a national TV deal, so everyone thought Texas was just a football state and hoopers there weren’t good.”

Before the BIG 12, there was the eight-team Southwest Conference that consisted of University of Arkansas, UT-Austin, University of Houston, SMU, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and Rice. According to Coleman, Branch and Walker, colleges from other regions thought it would be a waste of time to recruit in Texas because they would end up at a school in the Southwest Conference. Since there wasn’t any national coverage here and most players went to school in the Southwest Conference, the players didn’t get the attention they deserved.

Guys such as Smith (Louisville), Johnson (UNLV) and Walker (Villanova) showed coaches across the country, not to mention younger players from Texas, that they could go out of the region and be successful.

Walker and Coleman talked about no writers from Texas at the time, but the pioneer in regards to covering the players was Mike Kunstadt. The creator of the Great American Shootout and Texas Hoops Scouting Service. 

“Mike was the first one to write about the players and put reports out. It brought more attention to the college coaches outside of Texas about the talent out here,” Coleman said. 

Now let’s talk about the emergence of grassroots basketball. When talking about the Godfathers of AAU in Texas, Michael Young, Stephen Land and Jack Thompson are prominent. 

Land and Thompson had the only two AAU programs in the state of Texas. Their programs were also the only ones in Texas that could get invited to John Farrell’s Summer Invitational Tournament in Las Vegas. 

Their successors are now legends in the Texas grassroots space; guys such as Rob Wright, Horace Coleman, John Eurey, Mitch Malone, Wes Grandstaff, Hal Pastner and the list goes on. 

Now fast forward to today and now I understand what took place, and why, in order for Texas to get the basketball recognition it deserved. 

1. AAU and travel ball opened the popularity of basketball in the state, which caused more children to play the sport. 

2. The advancement of TV brought exposure to the players.

3. Guys in Texas leaving the state for college and having success changed the narrative on players from the Lone Star State

4. Writers reporting about the players and those reports going to the masses also helped change the narrative.  

Speaking of narratives, it has definitely changed in the past 46 years. From a state where it’s was only recognized for football to a state that produces pros yearly, a state that prep schools come every year to recruit, a state where the norm is 40-55 Division 1 recruits and 15-20 of them are going high major a year. That every year now! 

Texas has also withstood the era of prep schools dominating the high end market as we still recognize our guys that finished out in a different state such as ‘22 honorees Keyonte George (IMG Academy - Bradenton, FL), Jordan Walsh (Link Year Academy - Branson, MO) and the most recent transplant: 2023 Ja’Kobe Walter of Link Year Academy in Missouri. 

It’s great to live in a state that's a hotbed for high level basketball players. I'm also appreciative of the ones that fought and made it what it is today.

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RELATED: ?Preseason 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ??| BIL McDonald's All-American Game Archives | ?McDAAG Case: Ja'Kobe?Walter?| Texans in McDAAG: Then vs. Now!

McDonald's All-American Game Notes & Tidbits

*The 2023 game is will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston, March 28 (9 pm ET, ESPN).?The 2020 game was to be played at the same location, but was canceled because of COVID-19, as was the 2021 game.

*The first recognized team in 1977 had 15 players and actually played against the DMV team in the Capital Classic, which began in 1974. The actual East vs. West format began in 1978 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.

*Every NCAA championship team since 1978 has had a McDonald’s All-American on its roster except three: 2002 Maryland, 2014 UConn, 2021 Baylor.

*Despite scoring 30 points and hitting the game-winning free throws in the 1981 McDonald’s All-American Game to give his East team a 96-95 victory, Michael Jordan was not named Game MVP for the Est. That honor went to DeMatha Catholic’s Adrian Branch, who went on to play at Maryland. It was the second major slight of Jordan's high school career. The first one was not being named one of the top 500 seniors in the nation in the preseason Street & Smith’s Magazine Basketball Annual. Jordan's mother Deloris was the one most upset with that.

*A majority of the teams that have finished No. 1 in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings or by the National Sports News Service before 1987-88 has had a McDonald’s All-American on the roster. The five mythical national championship teams that did not have a future McDonald’s All-American on its roster are: 2009-10 Yates (Houston, Texas), 1998-99 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 1994-95 St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.), 1985-86 Camden (N.J.) and 1985 Spingarn (Washington, D.C.). Five other teams didn’t have a senior McDonald’s All-American, but had a future one as an underclassmen: 2010-11 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) with junior Kyle Anderson, 2004-05 Niagara Falls (N.Y.) with sophomore Johnny Flynn, 1999-00 Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) with junior Tyson Chandler, 1995-96 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) with junior Anthony Perry and 1990-91 Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.) with sophomore Rasheed Wallace.

Programs with the Most McDonald’s All-Americans

35: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of WIlson, Va.) 1980
14: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), 2013
12: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 1979
10: Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 2009
10: IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.) 2017
9: Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 2016
8: St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 1984
7: Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 1983
7: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 1984
6: Camden (N.J.) 1981
6: Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1978
6: Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 1995

Note: Program listed by first year team member selected. Findlay Prep and St. Anthony are now closed. The only Oak Hill Academy McDonald’s All-American selection who wasn’t coached by recently retired coach Steve Smith was Glen Mayers in 1980.

*Bronny James is the fifth McDonald’s All-American from Sierra Canyon in the last four seasons.

*IMG Academy has produced all of its All-Americans selections since 2016-17 and is the first program to have three players selected in the same year, when the 2019 FAB 50 No. 1 team produced Armando Bacot Jr., Josh Green and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. IMG Academy then produced three players for a single game once again in 2022 with Jaden Bradley, Jarace Walker and Keyonte George. The 2020 FAB 50 title team at Montverde Academy also had three selections: Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham, first five Elite All-American Scottie Barnes and forward Day'Ron Sharpe.?

*The first pair of teammates selected to the McDonald’s All-American Game were Aaron Bain and George Lynch in 1989 at Flint Hill Prep (Roanoke, Va.).

*Since 2017, the teams that make up the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), plus Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and now defunct Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) account for over 27 percent (46 of a possible 168) of all the MCDonald’s All-American selections. The high mark was 11 of the 24 in 2022.

*Milt Wagner (1981), Dujuan Wagner (2001) and D.J. Wagner (2023) is the first father-son-grandson combo to ever play in the game.

*In the 1981 game in Wichita, Kan., Milt went 4-of-12 from the field, 1-of-2 from the line for 9 points as his East team won 96-95. In the 2001 game at Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, Dajuan went 7-of-15 from the field, 7-of-8 from the line for 25 points, but the West team won, 131-125.

*The Wagner trio all attended Camden (N.J.) High School and all three played for nationally ranked teams. Only one of the other father-son McDonald’s All-American duos attended the same high school (James Blackmon Sr. and Jr.). There have been eight other father-son duos and this year is the second time two sons of former McDonald’s All-Americans both play in the same game, joining James Blackmon Jr. and Justise Winslow in 2014.

*Bronny James (Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth, Calif.) joins his father, LeBron James, who played in the 2003 game in Cleveland, approximately 40 miles from his high school St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio). James had 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the East’s 122-107 victory in front of 18,728 at Gund Arena. James played in two other all-star games, helping to draw 19,678 to the Roundball Classic?at the United Center in Chicago. He also played in the 2003 Capital Classic, where 18,424 saw the annual game at the MCI Center.

Other Father-Son McDAAG Duos (In Order Prior to 2023):

Doc Rivers, Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) 1980 & Austin Rivers, Winter Park (Fla.) 2011
James Blackmon Sr., Marion (Ind.) 1983 & James Blackmon Jr., Marion (Ind.) 2014
Ricky Winslow, Yates (Houston) 1983 & Justise Winslow, St. John’s (Houston) 2014
Rick Brunson, Salem (Mass.) 1991 & Jalen Brunson, Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) 2015
Charles Bannon Sr., Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) 1993 & Charles O’Bannon Jr., Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 2017
Lester Earl, Glen Oaks (Baton Rouge, La.) 1996 & Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2019
Gary Springer, Ben Franklin (New York) 1980 & Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2020

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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Ja’Kobe Walter of unbeaten and FAB 50 No. 3 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) is one whose resume gives him a strong chance.

The Baylor signee has accumulated over 2,000 points in his high school career, received NBPA & Wooten Camp invites, 1st Team UIL All-District and region honors for multiple seasons, 1st Team TABC All-State honors, led McKinney (Texas) to its first ever state title game in 2021-22 and was third in points per game in Adidas 3SSB with Team Trae Young. Walter has stayed consistent with his production throughout high school. 

“It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to be a McDonald’s All American," Walter told Ballislife. "The players that have played in that game, the meaning of it. It’s just always been a dream of mine to play in the same game as the ones before me.”

Walter talks about why he feels he’s earned a spot.

"I just feel like I’ve always been consistent on the court; if that was in school ball or in AAU,” Walter said. “And I’ve won a lot of games at both levels. Went to state with McKinney, right now we are top 3 in the country even though we should be No. 1 and my stats have transferred to winning as well.”

Walter leads FAB 50 No. 3 Link team in scoring (13.4 ppg) and is third in rebounding (3.9 rpg). He also can add MVP honors from his performance at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, as Link Academy defeated No. 11 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in the title game to push its record to 18-0. The future Baylor Bear compiled 17 points and brought massive energy on the court.

Game Breakdown

A scoring guard with a strong frame. Scores it in limited dribbles but a promising decision maker off the live dribble due to awareness and passing accuracy. He’s naturally strong, which allows him to get to his spots to elevate and launch. The savvy shooting guard keeps defenders at bay utilizing advanced triple threat game, plus length, and has been someone that can consistently make tough shots off the bounce. There’s a lot of upside with his defense. A formidable on-ball defender currently, but he has another tier on the defensive end he will unlock down the road which will show more of his versatility. He really uses his length, strength and lateral mobility to guard well on-the-ball and does a good job as a team defender.

Final Thoughts

When looking at the major national recruiting network player rankings, Walter’s name appears generally in the top 20 range. That’s fits with where I believe he falls and honestly I feel he’s a bit higher, especially with his play this season with arguably the No. 1 team in the country.

The McDonald’s All-American Game announces its team of 24 players on Jan. 24 and he’s performed as one of them. Although he currently resides in Branson, Mo., Texas is home for Walter. I don’t see five Texas natives in the 2023 class representing the state as was the case in 2021-22. But of the few that will be, however, it would be a surprise if Ja’Kobe Walter isn’t one of them.

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In the eighth episode of our all-new In The Paint Show," hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland touch up on the NFHS-sanctioned June Live period and the incredible scoring feats of the Houston Rockets' James Harden and go hard on the recent announcement of the 2019 McDonald's All-American Game rosters.

While some states have pulled out completely of the June Live Events, Arizona will host one live event sanctioned by the AIA and ran by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association the first weekend (June 21-23). We break down this decision a bit further and discuss what it might mean in the bigger picture.

As far as Harden goes, he recently scored a career-high 61 points at Madison Square Garden and is on an incredible streak where none of his baskets are assisted by teammates. Is this simply an incredible offensive display or bad basketball? Does the NBA allow Harden certain offensive leeway or is the game just being called differently? Is isolation basketball the game's new wave for the foreseeable future?

Flores and Ugland break it down along with some flashbacks of Harden being selected for the McDonald's All-American Game back in 2007 out of Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.). Incredibly, he got little playing team on arguably the most loaded 12-man team ever assembled for the game.

The fellas take a deep dive at the rosters for this year's game (March 27 in Atlanta). For the first time ever, a program has three McDonald's All-Americans: FAB 50 No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). What does this mean for the landscape of high school basketball as more state associations ban their member schools from playing academy-type programs such as IMG, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), and La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)?

After the rosters are announced, everyone loves to talk snubs, so Ron and Dev break down the process, talk remedies for the selection committee and the one snub everyone is talking about: Chino Hills (Calif.) big man and 2018 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball Onyeka Okongwu.

The fellas cover alot this week, so make sure to give it a listen below and share it with friends!

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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MVP Cheick Diallo, an undecided 6-foot-9 forward from Mali and Our Savior New American School on Long Island led the game with 18 points (8-14) and 10 rebounds as the EAST defeated the WEST 111-91 in the 38th annual McDonald's All American Game at Chicago's United Center. Other stars for the East included Diamond Stone (Maryland commit) who scored 14 points (7-9) and Antonio Blakeney (LSU) who scored 14 points.

Uncommitted 6'8 forward Brandon Ingram from North carolina was impressive as he paced the West, scoring 13 of his 15pts in the first half. His teammate Allonzo Trier (Arizona) finished with 17 points.

The lone representative of the host state Illinois was Villanova-bound Jalen Brunson. Son of former McDonald's All American Rick Brunson, Jalen added 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists off the bench for the West.

Perhaps the most memorable play of the night featured 7ft Stephen Zimmerman dunking on his defender quickly followed by his teammate Carlton Bragg (Kansas) throwing down a windmill, electrifying his teammates and the crowd.

Thanks to everyone at the 2015 McDonald's All American Game! For more coverage of the 2015 McDonald's All American game, Jam Fest, and practice highlights, watch www.ebooksnet.com!
www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com

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We would like to congratulate all of the players who were selected to participate in the 2015 McDonalds All-American Game which goes down on April 1st in Chicago.  We have had the pleasure of watching these young men grow over the past few years so in honor of them moving on to the next level, let's take a look at some of the best highlights from their prep careers.

East Team:

• Dwayne Bacon (Florida State)
• Antonio Blakeney (LSU)
• Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky)
• Jaylen Brown (uncommited)
• Thomas Bryant (uncommited)
• Cheick Diallo (uncommited)
• Henry Ellenson (Marquette)
• Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State)
• Luke Kennard (Duke)
• Dedric Lawson (Memphis)
• Ben Simmons (LSU)
• Diamond Stone (uncommitted)

West Team

• Carlton Bragg (Kansas)
• Jalen Brunson (Villanova)
• Deyonta Davis (Michigan State)
• P.J. Dozier (South Carolina)
• Brandon Ingram (uncommitted)
• Chase Jeter (Duke)
• Malik Newman (uncommitted)
• Ivan Rabb (uncommitted)
• Malachi Richardson (Syracuse)
• Caleb Swanigan (uncommitted)
• Allonzo Trier (Arizona)
• Stephen Zimmerman (uncommitted)

Also be on the lookout for more information about the 2015 Ballislife All-American game coming soon!

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