The nation’s best high school basketball players will take center stage in Houston on Tuesday for the McDonald’s All-American Game. Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy will be on hand for the festivities, but today Travis Graf lists three questions that he’s most interested in seeing answered in the marquee matchup.
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McDonald's All-American Game: Players single out top performers
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Who has the most to gain?
The McDonald’s All-American Game week is a great way for players to earn more respect in the eyes of basketball recruiting fans. Xavier Booker and Reed Sheppard should really open some eyes if they perform well.
Booker, a five-star Michigan State signee, was at one time viewed as the top prospect in the class, but he had a very pedestrian senior season. He has a lot of upside on both ends of the floor, and has shown the ability to stretch the floor and handle the ball some offensively. A big performance would be a way for him to change the narrative surrounding his growth.
Sheppard is in an interesting spot. He doesn’t really perform well in showcase or camp settings because he doesn’t look to take over with the ball in his hands. He plays a team-first style no matter what the setting is and always looks to make the correct plays. The future Kentucky Wildcat, one of the least-known players in the game nationally, really has a chance to showcase his talents to all of the viewers and show why he’s so highly-regarded.
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What is the most intriguing matchup?
The first matchup that jumps out to you on paper is the battle of the two best guards in the class — DJ Wagner for the East and Isaiah Collier for the West. Both guys are ultra competitive and bring different types of skillsets to the table in this one.
Wagner has one of the best motors in the class and is relentlessly competitive, loving to get downhill. Collier is the best passer in high school basketball, and while he also loves to get downhill and pressure the rim, he could also put up monster assist totals in this game.
Both Wagner and Collier are five-stars and top-three prospects in the 2024 Rivals150.
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Who takes home MVP honors?
History has shown that, typically, players with a high motor that play hard and run the floor often come up with MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American Game.
If I’m a betting man, which I am, I’d take a look at three players with the possibility of taking home the trophy this year, and two have already been named.
1. Isaiah Collier - It was stated above that it’s become somewhat rare for the No. 1 overall prospect to win MVP honors, but Collier has a very good chance with what he brings to the table. The five-star guard is going to get up and down the court quickly, dish out assists at a high rate, and if his outside shot is falling, he could have a massive day.
2. DJ Wagner - Wagner is in the hunt for this award on paper because he’s going to go 100-percent the entire time he’s on the floor and look to push the ball up the court. His competitive nature will keep his motor running the whole game and with the ball in his hands, the five-star guard could have a big day from a numbers standpoint.
3. Ron Holland - Again, motor. Holland is one of the best rim finishers in the country and runs the floor extremely well. It wouldn’t be surprising to see his activity level get him a lot of extra looks compared to his counterparts. Holland has developed his perimeter game and improved his outside shooting, but his outside scoring probably won’t be needed much in this matchup.
