Forward Kevon Looney (right) is one of two McDonald’s All-Americans who will attend UCLA. The other is center Thomas Welsh. photo: adidas
The McDonald’s All-Americans were announced today, headlined by four Duke recruits and four headed to Kentucky. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) is the only high school program with multiple selections.
RELATED: Overlooked High School All-Americans
The McDonald’s All American Basketball Games selection committee has unveiled the 24 student-athletes who will participate in the 37th boys game to be played on April 2 (9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) at the United Center in Chicago.
The 13th girls game will also take place on April 2 (7 p.m. ET on ESPNU).
The McDonald’s All American boys squad features a wide-spread talent pool, including Student Sports Mr. Basketball USA Tracker front-runners Emmanuel Mudiay, Cliff Alexander, Jahlil Okafor, Stanley Johnson and Tyus Jones.
Okafor and Jones will join future Duke teammates Grayson Allen and Justise Winslow on the McDonald’s All-American team. Kentucky also has four commits who will play in this year’s event (including three on the West team) after its record haul of six in last year’s game played at the United Center. In 2012, it was announced the McDonald’s All-American festivities will remain in Chicago until 2015.
Okafor will be joined by Chicago natives Alexander and Tyler Ulis. Alexander leads the East frontcourt while Okafor leads the West.
In last year’s game, Aaron Gordon (Arizona via Mitty, San Jose, Calif.) finished with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds to lead his West team to a 110-99 win over the East team before 15,818 fans. The East leads the all-time series 19-17.
McDonald’s All American
Boys High School Basketball Team
(Listed With Hoop Scoop Ranking)
East
Cliff Alexander, Curie (Chicago) 6-9 PF (Kansas) (3)
James Blackmon Jr., Marion (Marion, Ind.) 6-2 SG (Indiana) (11)
Justin Jackson, HCYA (Tomball, Texas) 6-7 SF (North Carolina) (5)
Tyus Jones, Apple Valley (Apple Valley, Minn.) 6-1 PG (Duke) (4)
Kevon Looney, Hamilton (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-8 PF (UCLA) (14)
Theo Pinson, Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.) 6-6 SF (North
Carolina) (23)
D’Angelo Russell, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-5 SG (Ohio St.) (13)
Karl Towns Jr., St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.) 6-11 C (Kentucky) (17)
Romelo Trimble, Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 6-2 SG (Maryland) (32)
Myles Turner, Trinity (Euless, Texas) 6-11 C (Undecided) (7)
Isaiah Whitehead, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-4 SG (Seton Hall) (15)
Justise Winslow, St. John’s School (Houston, Texas) 6-6 SF (Duke) (12)
West
Grayson Allen, Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.) 6-4 SG (Duke) (36)
Joel Berry, Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) 6-1 PG (North Carolina) (8)
Devin Booker, Moss Point (Moss Point, Miss.) 6-5 SG (Kentucky) (40)
Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-7 SF (Arizona) (1)
Trey Lyles, Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-10 PF (Kentucky) (22)
Emmanuel Mudiay, Prime Prep Academy (Dallas, Texas) 6-4 PG (SMU) (2)
Jahlil Okafor, Whitney Young (Chicago) 6-11 C (Duke) (6)
Kelly Oubre, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-7 SF (Kansas) (21)
Reid Travis, De La Salle (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-8 PF (Stanford) (30)
Tyler Ulis, Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights, Ill.) 5-9 PG (Kentucky) (10)
Rashad Vaughn, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-5 SG (Undecided) (9)
Thomas Welsh, Loyola (Los Angeles) 7-0 C (UCLA) (55)
StudentSportsBasketball.com Roster Analysis
The first thing we noticed and applaud is having Alexander and Okafor on opposite clubs even though they both hail from Chicago. This gives the teams balance and is an evaluator’s dream because Okafor and Alexander don’t face each other on the Grassroots circuit. Both play for the Mac Irvin Fire.
The combination of Ulis and Mudiay will be tough for the East to deal with. Jones is the East team’s only true lead guard, so the combination of Blackmon Jr. and Trimble will have to deal with Mudiay. Mudiay could have a big game if the East doesn’t have the correct defensive combination on the floor.
Welsh may be a surprise pick to some, but he’s having a fantastic senior season for Loyola (Los Angeles), ranked No. 15 in the current Student Sports FAB 50. We saw Welsh play Turner to a standstill this summer in Las Vegas and will be excited to see them to do battle again, not to mention Welsh battle Okafor in practice.
There will always be a deserving player or two left off, but the only surprise is not seeing Daniel Hamilton of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) on the roster. He’s as good a pure scorer from the forward position as there is in this class. Hamilton also had a big moment early in the season in front of a big contingent of McDonald’s voters when he hit the game-winning shot in a big win over Okafor and Whitney Young in Chicago. His brother Isaac also played in last year’s game and Daniel is as highly-regarded as his older brother by most national scouts we come in contact with.
The selection of Vaughn (who has missed about of a month of the season with injury), gives the West the outside shooter it needs to try and keep pace with Russell, Blackmon Jr., and Whitehead. On the flip side, the East doesn’t have a small forward type that brings all the things to the table Johnson does.
Every athlete who participates in the McDonald’s All American Games will visit the host city’s local Ronald McDonald House Charities® Chapter to experience first-hand how the Games impact the local community. For more information on the McDonald’s All American Game and ticket information, please visit mcdonaldsallamerican.com.
Editors Note: StudentSportsBasketball.com will be in attendance at the McDonald’s All-American game. We will have practice reports and other exclusive content so please bookmark our website today.