Breaking Down Top Players in 2022 McDonald's All American Game
In 2019, the men's McDonald's All American Game featured players such as Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, Cole Anthony and more.
That was also the last time that the event took place, and those former high school stars are now in the NBA. Although rosters were named in both 2020 and 2021, the games were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. But in 2022, the players who received invitations will get to take the court and compete.
This year's men's McDonald's All American Game is set to take place Tuesday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Many of the top high school players in the country will be participating, and some of them could go on to become the best players at the college level and perhaps eventually in the NBA.
The full rosters for this year's game can be found at the event's official site, although the participants have not yet been split up into two teams.
Here's a closer look at some of the top players who will be heading to the 2022 McDonald's All American Game.
Dereck Lively II, Westtown School (Bellefonte, Pa.)
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No player at the 2022 McDonald's All American Game will be taller than Dereck Lively II, a 7'1" center who is the No. 1 player in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins, Lively's NBA comparison is Tyson Chandler but potentially has more offensive skills.
"The potential and athletic gifts of Dereck Lively are beyond tremendous," Jenkins wrote. "He has terrific athleticism for his size as he elevates off the floor well and is aggressive in how he utilizes his springs to protect the rim and control the glass on a consistent basis."
Lively signed with Duke in November, and he's one of three players participating in this event who will go on to play for the Blue Devils. The others are center Kyle Filipowski (Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Wilbraham, Massachusetts) and forward Dariq Whitehead (Montverde Academy, Newark, New Jersey). Filipowski is the No. 3 player in the 2022 class, while Whitehead is ranked No. 5, per 247Sports Composite.
So Duke fans will get a glimpse of what the 2022-23 team could look like, especially if Lively, Filipowski and Whitehead end up on the same side. While all three are talented players, Lively has the potential to dominate the McDonald's All America Game because of his size and skill set.
Amari Bailey, Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.)
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Amari Bailey is the top guard in the 2022 class and is ranked No. 2 overall behind only Lively, per 247Sports Composite. The 6'5" combo guard is part of a stacked team at Sierra Canyon School, which is also sending forward Kijani Wright to the McDonald's All America Game.
After committing to UCLA in December 2018, Bailey decommitted in July 2019. However, he ended up still signing with the Bruins, recommitting in February 2021 before making things official nine months later.
As 247Sports national basketball director Eric Bossi notes, Bailey "already has the size, body and athleticism of an older player," adding that he impresses the most when he's in the open floor or in transition. Although he may not knock down a ton of jump shots, Bailey has other offensive skills that make him difficult to stop.
If Bailey can break away and get behind the defense with the ball, he could produce some of the most exciting moments of this year's men's McDonald's All America Game. Make sure to keep an eye on him at all times when he's on the floor.
Keyonte George, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
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IMG Academy is sending three players to this year's men's All American Game, more than any other school. Among that trio is shooting guard Keyonte George, the No. 4 player in the 2022 class, per 247Sports Composite, who signed with Baylor in November.
Although George attends IMG Academy, he's from Lewisville, Texas, so it's not a surprise that he decided to play his college ball for the Baylor Bears, who have had plenty of success in recent years. The 6'4" guard will have an opportunity to try to help the program keep that going once he arrives on campus later this year.
In Jenkins' scouting report, he wrote that George's "talent, skill level and scoring touch is undeniable." George has a good shot and can score from anywhere on the court.
While all of the players from IMG Academy could influence Tuesday's game, George is likely going to have the best showing of the three. It's clear that he has the potential to have a special career.
