McDonald's All-American Game 2017: Players to Watch from East and West Rosters
On Wednesday night at the United Center in Chicago, we will get a glimpse at the future of basketball.
The 2017 McDonald's All-American Game features a slew of next-level prospects bound for the likes of Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, UCLA, Missouri, Oklahoma and others.
DeAndre Ayton and Michael Porter Jr., Scout's No. 1 and No. 5 overall players, headline the West team, while Mohamed Bamba, Trevon Duval and Wendell Carter—ranked No. 2, 3 and 4, respectively—spearhead the East.
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Below you will find all you need to know heading into the McDAAG, including two players to keep a particular eye on.
Rosters
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Weight | High School | College |
| 11 | Mohamed Bamba | C | 6'11" | 210 | Westtown School (West Chester, PA) | undecided |
| 34 | Wendell Carter Jr. | PF | 6'9" | 254 | Pace Academy (Atlanta) | Duke |
| 1 | Trevon Duval | PG | 6'3" | 183 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) | undecided |
| 0 | Quade Green | PG | 6'1" | 170 | SS. Neumann Goretti High School (Philadelphia) | Kentucky |
| 23 | Kevin Knox II | SF | 6'8" | 203 | Tampa Catholic High School (Tampa, FL) | undecided |
| 4 | Nicholas Richards | C | 6'11" | 250 | The Patrick School (Hillside, NJ) | Kentucky |
| 22 | Mitchell Robinson | C | 6'11" | 215 | Chalmette High School (Chalmette, LA) | Western Kentucky |
| 10 | Collin Sexton | SG | 6'3" | 175 | Pebblebrook High School (Mableton, GA) | Alabama |
| 2 | Jarred Vanderbilt | PF | 6'8" | 200 | Victory Prep Academy (Houston) | Kentucky |
| 14 | Lonnie Walker IV | SG | 6'4" | 192 | Reading High School (Reading, PA) | Miami |
| 25 | PJ Washington Jr. | PF | 6'8" | 225 | Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV) | Kentucky |
| 31 | Kris Wilkes | F | 6'7" | 194 | North Central High School (Indianapolis) | UCLA |
| 0 | DeAndre Ayton | C | 7'0" | 220 | Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) | Arizona |
| 20 | Brian "Tugs" Bowen II | SF | 6'7" | 190 | La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN) | undecided |
| 5 | Troy Brown Jr. | SF | 6'7" | 215 | Centennial High School (Las Vegas) | Oregon |
| 3 | Jaylen Hands | PG | 6'3" | 170 | Foothills Christian High School (El Cajon, CA) | UCLA |
| 8 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | PF | 6'11" | 225 | La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN) | Michigan State |
| 44 | Brandon L. McCoy | C | 6'11" | 244 | Cathedral Catholic High School (San Diego) | undecided |
| 21 | Charles O'Bannon Jr. | SF | 6'6" | 200 | Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas) | USC |
| 1 | Michael Porter Jr. | SF | 6'10" | 212 | Nathan Hale High School (Seattle) | Missouri |
| 23 | Billy Preston | PF | 6'10" | 230 | Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) | Kansas |
| 2 | Gary Trent Jr. | SG | 6'5" | 200 | Prolific Prep Academy (Napa, CA) | Duke |
| 24 | MJ Walker | SG | 6'5" | 207 | Jonesboro High (Jonesboro, GA) | undecided |
| 11 | Trae Young | PG | 6'2" | 170 | Norman North High School (Norman, OK) | Oklahoma |
Game Info
| United Center (Chicago) | Wednesday, March 29 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN |
East
Trevon Duval
Undecided Delaware native Trevon Duval has narrowed his college choices down to five: Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Seton Hall. He's taken official visits to all five, according to Eric Bossi of Rivals.com.
Duval abuses rims in a fashion that would bring a menacing smile to Russell Westbrook's face. But he's more than just a dunker. DraftExpress' Julian Applebome praised Duval's handles in his pro scouting report:
"Duval is an elite ball handler who can get into the paint out of isolation situations, and often freezes his defenders with advanced crossover dribbles and hesitation moves. He's got an extra gear he can get to in the open floor, and is a dynamic finisher in transition with the explosive ability to finish above the rim or in traffic with creative body control.
"
The IMG Academy guard is a willing passer who frees up teammates with his aggressive drives. While far from a marksman from the outside, you can teach a jumper.
You can't really teach this:
It's easy to see why Duval is Scout's No. 1 point guard and No. 3 overall prospect in the 2017 class. The kid is a freak.
Duval, who's played for the NJ Playaz AAU program (hence the interest in Seton Hall), told Rivals.com's Krysten Peek he hopes to make a college decision "sometime in April," but it go into early May.
Keep an eye on how he interacts with other players during the game. Recruiting isn't limited to talks off the court.
West
DeAndre Ayton
The landscape of today's budding NBA stars has become dominated by skilled giants.
You know the names (Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo), and you know the term often attached to them: Unicorn.
Started by Kevin Durant, who was speaking about the New York Knicks big man, the moniker has become a way to describe players who, 20 years ago, we would've believed were mythical creatures.
DeAndre Ayton, Scout's No. 1 overall player, wants to join that list.
As noted by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell, "Ayton's most recent measurement at the 2016 Nike Hoops Summit listed him at seven feet tall, 243 pounds with a 7'5" wingspan."
Yeah, that's big.
But his size doesn't seem to limit the star from Phoenix's Hillcrest Prep the way it does other young gargantuans. He's already comfortable with his massive frame, which allows him to play smoothly, like Porzingis—and that's by design.
Scout.com's Evan Daniels asked Ayton about NBA comparisons last May, and the teenager only thought of one initially.
"I would say there's one: Anthony Davis," Ayton said. "Actually to be honest, I'm in love with [Kristaps] Porzingis, though. We have the same gam, to be honest. Same exact game. He can shoot. He can put the ball on the floor and go to the rim and he can post up."
Next year, Ayton will give Sean Miller's Arizona Wildcats one of the most unique weapons in college hoops. On Wednesday night, the nation will get a preview of that unicorn skill set.
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