Every year, the celebrated McDonald’s All American Video games function the nation’s greatest highschool senior basketball gamers within the nation. This yr is not any exception, as the highest girls and boys put together for Tuesday’s showcase occasions in Houston.
The 2023 McDonald’s All American ladies’ sport ideas off at 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2/ESPN App), with the boys sport scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN App).
The festivities get beneath means with the boys’ scrimmage at 4 p.m. ET Sunday (ESPN+), adopted by Monday’s Powerade Jam Fest (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App) and 3-point taking pictures contest.
Listed here are 5 issues to know heading into the boys’ sport Tuesday:
1. Which conferences have probably the most McDonald’s All People coming in subsequent yr?
The SEC, Large 12 and Pac-12 prepared the ground.
The SEC has six prime recruits on the way in which. Kentucky, with the No. 1 recruiting class within the nation, leads all colleges with 4 All People. Arkansas and Auburn every have one.
The Large 12, which boasts the previous two nationwide champions in Baylor (2021) and Kansas (2022), has 5 All People coming its means. Baylor, Iowa State, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma State all have one McDonald’s All American signee. The Pac-12 additionally has 5 All People: Oregon has two, whereas Colorado, Stanford and USC have one every. Duke the one ACC faculty on the checklist, has three McDonald’s All People.
2. Star energy and upside
All 24 McDonald’s All People fall inside the highest 30 within the ESPN 100, together with all top-10 seniors and 15 five-star prospects. This is among the greatest analysis stops for NBA scouts, and all 30 NBA groups shall be represented.
Potential is a harmful phrase as a result of it may work in your favor or towards you. To develop into an NBA draft choose and participant, it takes expertise and powerful work habits. The candidates with probably the most potential on this yr’s sport: Cody Williams, Matas Buzelis, Justin Edwards, Xavier Booker and Ja’Kobe Walter.
3. Prime spot in ESPN 100 is huge open
Edwards was elevated to the No. 1 spot within the ESPN 100 after sitting at No. 2 in January. Scouting the 6-foot-7 Edwards over time, his productiveness on each ends has been his calling card. On nationwide tv on the Hoopball Basic, he willed his staff to an enormous win with a dominant sport of 25 factors, 12 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists and 1 block. Prior to now three rankings, he has gone from No. 13 to No. 2 to No. 1.
D.J. Wagner had held on to the No. 1 spot since his sophomore yr by way of his dynamic play, competitiveness and profitable groups. He’s No. 2 in our newest rankings. Isaiah Collier is presently the No. 3 total prospect within the class and was just lately voted because the McDonald’s Morgan Wooten Participant of the 12 months. He’s an enormous and powerful level guard who’s the perfect playmaker within the class and has the mindset when wanted to submit huge numbers. All three prospects had an excellent senior season, and all three shall be in competition for the No. 1 spot.
4. A sport with deep roots
This yr’s sport options 5 gamers whose members of the family have deep basketball roots.
Andrej Stojakovic is the son of Peja Stojakovic, a first-round draft choose in 1996 who had a protracted and profitable NBA profession — NBA champion, a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA 3-point taking pictures contest champion. Andrej shall be heading to Stanford subsequent season.
Bronny James — you may need heard of him — is the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, the four-time NBA champion and 19-time All-Star thought-about one of many biggest gamers of all time. D.J. Wagner’s dad, Dajuan Wagner, was the No. 6 choose within the 2002 NBA draft and a McDonald’s All American, and his grandfather, Milt Wagner, gained a nationwide championship at Louisville in 1986 and an NBA title with the Lakers in 1988. Cody Williams’ older brother, Jalen Williams, was a first-round select of Santa Clara and now’s with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
Reed Sheppard’s household has deep Kentucky roots, as each his mother and pop had been basketball legends. Jeff Sheppard was a two-time NCAA champion at Kentucky, and his mother, Stacey, is within the prime 10 in Wildcats basketball historical past in made 3-pointers, assists and steals.
5. Who wins the 3-point taking pictures and slam dunk contests?
Essentially the most anticipated occasion main as much as the video games is the slam dunk contest. To win it would take creativity, exhibiting the group a spectacular vertical bounce and making all makes an attempt — no misses.
Final yr’s contest got here down to a few thrilling dunkers in Dillon Mitchell, Nick Smith and South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins. Watkins, with an help from Jarace Walker, turned simply the third woman to win the occasion. Some favorites from the boys’ facet this yr are James, Sean Stewart, Ron Holland, Booker and Mookie Cook dinner. The highest candidates to win the 3-point taking pictures contest are Buzelis, Aden Holloway, Jared McCain, Mackenzie Mgbako, Sheppard and Stojakovic.
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