McDonald's All-American Game 2017: Score, Top Performers and More

The future stars of college basketball put their talent on display Wednesday night, with the East prevailing over the West 109-107 in the 2017 McDonald's All-American Game, led by Michael Porter Jr.'s MVP performance. 

Showcase games can be difficult to get a proper gauge on players because defense tends to be optional, as was the case this time, but it didn't stop several of the top prospects for 2017 from making a statement. 

To close the book on one of the biggest nights of college basketball's recruiting season, here's a look at the top performers from the McDonald's All-American Game. 

East	Stat
West	Stat
Mohamed Bamba (Uncommitted)	17 Points
Jarred Vanderbilt (Committed to Kentucky)	6 Rebounds
Collin Sexton (Committed to Alabama)	7 Assists
Michael Porter Jr. (MVP; Committed to Missouri)	17 Points
DeAndre Ayton (Committed to Arizona)	11 Rebounds
M.J. Walker (Uncommitted)	4 Assists

West Top Performer: Michael Porter Jr.

Porter has been a focal point recently for the drama surrounding his recruiting. He recently committed to Missouri after pulling out of his pledge to Washington after Lorenzo Romar was fired as head coach. 

Alec Lewis of the Kansas City Star noted the unusual whiplash effect around the Missouri basketball program over the last two weeks:

This was Porter's first showcase since that off-court drama, and he had a positive overall game with 17 points to earn game MVP. He didn't have a great shooting night, going 0-of-4 from three-point range, but he was able to make his presence felt in other ways with eight rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.

The lack of success for Porter from beyond the arc on Wednesday isn't a concern because his overall scouting report highlights that as one of his greatest strengths, per Scout.com: 

"

A terrific leaper, Porter gets off the ground quick, finishes well in transition and is capable of highlight reel type dunks. His shot is superb, as he has deep range, good shot preparation and shoots the ball with consistency. He's improving as a scorer off the dribble and he opened up his junior season with a better rebounding mentality than seen in the past. 

"

Missouri's basketball program has been a disaster in recent years. The Tigers haven't made the NCAA tournament since 2013 and have won a combined total of 27 games over the past three seasons. 

The hiring of Cuonzo Martin as head coach helped lead to Porter choosing Missouri as his future destination. The stock arrow is pointing up for the Tigers heading into the 2017-18 season. 

Per Jason Jordan of USA Today, Porter said after Wednesday's game he is hoping to convince some of his fellow recruits that Missouri is the place for them:

It only takes one great talent to open the recruiting floodgates. Porter was a star among stars at the McDonald's All-American Game and helped Missouri's cause in the process. 

East Top Performer: Mohamed Bamba

Source: Scout.com

Since Porter specifically cited Mohamed Bamba as one of the players he was going to try bringing with him to Missouri, let's talk about the center from Pennsylvania. 

Bamba likely would have earned game MVP honors if the East had won. His 17 points tied with Porter and shot an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. 

There was also an incredible moment when Porter attempted to drive to the basket for a dunk, but Bamba met him at the hoop and grabbed the ball from him in mid-air to prevent the easy jam.  

After the game, Bamba made a point of saying he wanted to use this stage to showcase how physical he can be. 

“A lot of people look at me and say I’m too skinny and that they can push me around, but I think not,” Bamba said, per Nick Medline of ZagsBlog.com. “I may not always be shooting the ball well, but I can make sure my defense is always on point.”

He accomplished that mission, with Josh Gershon of Scout.com offering a glowing assessment of Bamba's performance.

“I loved the way Mo Bamba used his size and length to impact the game on both ends,” he said. “You could really see his value as a rim protector. He only grabbed five rebounds, but that’s an area where his physical tools will allow him to impact the game at a high level.”

Bamba is listed at 6'11" and 215 pounds by Scout.com. He will need to add bulk to his frame in order to dominate as a power forward at the next level, but Wednesday at least showed how his natural talent will carry him a long way. 

Underrated Star: Brandon L. McCoy

Source: Scout.com

Using the term "underrated" to describe any player in the McDonald's All-American Game is a relative term, since everyone on both rosters is a marquee prospect. 

Since defense tends to fall by the wayside at times in these games, someone like Brandon McCoy won't always stand out. He's still a work in progress on the offensive end, as evidenced by his shooting just 3-of-12 from the field, though he did manage to score 13 points. 

McCoy played a huge hand in the outcome of this game in other ways. He was terrific inside, grabbing six offensive rebounds to create second-chance opportunities for the West, and had two last-second blocks to secure the win for his team. 

McCoy's last-second heroics are nothing new when you consider what his scouting report says about his strength as a basketball player. 

"McCoy is one of 2017's top defensive prospects," per Scout.com. "He has good size for position at about 7-feet and plays hard, tough, aggressive basketball, especially on the defensive end. He prides himself as a rim protector and overall strong man defender."

The ability to develop a consistent shooting touch will determine how high McCoy's ceiling climbs, but there is always going to be room for a defensive stalwart who will fight for rebounds and use his size to disrupt shots by opposing players.