McDonald's All-American Game 2012: Shabazz Muhammad More Than an Elite Athlete

Shabazz Muhammad showed off his outstanding athleticism on Tuesday when he won the dunk contest at the McDonald's All-American Games.

But it's important to note that Muhammad is the No. 1 recruit in the 2012 class because of his overall game, not just his leaping ability.

There's no doubt that Muhammad's athleticism alone distances himself from a lot of the prospects. He has the ability to soar over defenders and attack the glass.

But where Muhammad distances himself from top recruits such as Baylor-bound big man Isaiah Austin is that he's much more consistent and has already displayed the fire and drive to be the best. That's why you are already hearing comparisons to Kobe Bryant.

Muhammad is almost unstoppable 15 feet in. That's not just because his physique allows him to blow by and through defenders, it's because he is extremely competitive.

He has his shortcomings: He needs to work on his right hand more, he needs to improve his perimeter game. But when you have a worker like Muhammad, those deficiencies tend to be erased quickly. Muhammad is not only one of the most talented recruits in the class, he's the safest pick because you know he's going to get better purely based on his work ethic alone.

Muhammad isn't just a scoring machine, mind you. He's shown a dedication on the defensive side of the ball that few high school players do. He has the size and athleticism to be a lock-down defender, but he knows size and athleticism alone won't make him one.

In that sense, Muhammad is comparable to Kentucky freshman sensation Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who can make an impact in multiple areas. If you don't want to compare Mohammad to Kobe just yet (and that's perfectly understandable), compare him to Kidd-Gilchrist. That isn't a stretch at all.

A lot of people are raving about Muhammad's electric display in the dunk contest, but he'll show in the McDonald's All-American Game why he's the No. 1 recruit in the class, because he'll be able to put it all together.

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