Nominees for the McDonald’s All-American Games were released this week. The annual showcase of the nation's top senior high school basketball players is slated for March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
The girls tip at 5:30 p.m. ET and the boys follow at 8 p.m.
The list of nominees is long – you can see them all here (PDF).
The game is still two months away, but we've got a few ideas about who should be playing in Columbus. Taking into account play with their high school teams this season, statistical production and team success, MaxPreps has compiled its own mid-season McDonald's All-American Game selections. The top 24 seniors were identified without regard to geographic distribution or position, then slotted into East-West squads with the same factors loosely considered.
East (listed alphabetically)
Will Barton, 6-6, G, Brewster Academy (Baltimore, Md.) – Memphis signee
McCredentials: Barton is a fifth-year player on a prep school team, but he is inlcuded on the list of nominees list so we won’t exclude him. The future Memphis Tiger is posting 23 points per game on a deep Brewster Academy team.
Reggie Bullock, 6-7, W, Kinston (N.C.) – North Carolina signee
McCredentials: Kinston has been up and down against a brutal schedule, but Bullock has delivered consistently.
Tony Chennault, 6-2, G, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) – Wake Forest signee
McCredentials: The victim of huge expectations the past two seasons, Chennault has become the star everybody envisioned as a freshman this year for nationally-ranked Neumann-Goretti.
Tobias Harris, 6-8, F, Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.) – Tennessee signee
McCredentials: Harris leads the undefeated and nationally-ranked Colts with 25.2 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.
Ryan Harrow, 6-1, G, Walton (Marietta, Ga.) – North Carolina State signee
McCredentials: Harrow is lighting it up this season to the tune of 32.2 points per game.
Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick
File photo by Lonnie Webb
McCredentials: On a roster as deep and talented as St. Patrick’s, it’s stunning to see Irving averaging over 26 points per game.
Brandon Knight, 6-3, G, Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: The nation’s No. 1 player is doing his thing, averaging 30.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Doron Lamb, 6-4, G, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: Lamb is the go-to guy at Oak Hill this season and earned MVP honors at December’s Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon.
C.J. Leslie, 6-8, F, Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: With John Wall out of the way at Kentucky, Leslie is shining in the lead role at Word of God, averaging 21.8 points per game.
Josh Selby, 6-1, G, Lake Clifton (Baltimore, Md.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: Selby is the type of player that could electrify fans in Columbus like Brandon Jennings did two years ago in the All-American Game.
Jared Sullinger, 6-9, F, Northland (Columbus, Ohio) – Ohio State signee
McCredentials: Leading No. 2 team in the nation with 20.9 points, 12.5 rebounds per game.
Patric Young, 6-9, F, Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.) – Florida signee
McCredentials: Playing in a program that puts a premium on defense, Young doesn’t post gaudy numbers but is the focal point of a 20-1 team.
Starters: Harris, Irving, Knight, Lamb and Sullinger
West
Harrison Barnes, 6-7, G/F, Ames (Iowa) – North Carolina signee
McCredentials: Barnes, a top candidate for National Player of the Year honors, and Ames are undefeated and hammering opponents by 32 points per game.
Corey Hawkins, 6-3, G, Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.) – Arizona State signee
McCredentials: Hawkins has been unstoppable for the 21-1 Wolves this season, tacking up 35.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.
Joe Jackson, 6-0, G, White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) – Memphis signee
McCredentials: Going for 30 is an average night for Jackson, who recently led White Station to the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions title in Springfield, Mo.
Terrence Jones, 6-9, F, Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: A threat to post a triple-double every time out, Jones averaged over 30 points and 10 rebounds per game at the Les Schwab Invitational in December.
Cory Joseph, 6-3, G, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: A native of Canada, Joseph has emerged as a National Player of the Year candidate running the show at Findlay, averaging 17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
Keala King, Mater Dei
File photo by Lonnie Webb
McCredentials: King is averaging 15.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for a team that could make a run at the mythical national title.
Tyler Lamb, 6-5, G, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) – UCLA signee
McCredentials: Lamb is having an even more productive season from a statistical standpoint than King, posting 18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Ray McCallum Jr., 6-1, G, Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) – Uncommitted
McCredentials: Several big schools in pursuit of McCallum, who is averaging 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for one of Michigan’s top programs.
Deshaun Thomas, 6-7, F, Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) – Ohio State signee
McCredentials: Stuffing the stat sheet with 34.5 points, 16.4 rebounds per game.
Tristan Thompson, 6-10, F, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) – Texas signee
McCredentials: Like Joseph, Thompson is a native of Canada but has spent most of his high school career in the United States. The future Longhorn is posting 17 points and 10 boards per game for one of the nation’s top teams.
Royce Woolridge, 6-3, G, Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) – Kansas signee
McCredentials: Woolridge’s 27.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game make him a player of the year candidate in Arizona along with Hawkins.
Joseph Young, 6-2, G, Yates (Houston, Texas) – Providence signee
McCredentials: Sure, his numbers are a bit inflated playing in Yates end-to-end attack (27 points per game), but you won’t find a better shooting exhibition than Young’s 29-point, first-half outburst at the T-Mobile Invitational in December.
Starters: Barnes, Joseph, McCallum, Thomas and Thompson
