By Joseph Phillips
The McDonald’s All-American game will return to the Windy City on Tuesday, March 29, at Wintrust Arena, 200 E. Cermak Road. The final 48 players selected will compete on high school basketball’s biggest stage.
Continuing a decades-long tradition of hoops excellence, McDonald’s announced the final rosters for the 2022 All-American game.
Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s USA, Tariq Hassan said, “The tradition and prestige of the McDonald’s All-American Games is unrivaled, it’s truly in a league of its own atop high school athletic programs that, for more than four decades, has recognized and created an opportunity for some of the nation’s best high school athletes.”
Elaborating Hassan noted, “As this year’s Games celebrate 45 years, we are looking forward to a triumphant return to McDonald’s home city of Chicago, as fans bear witness to 48 amazing young men and women in basketball as they further their journey to great- ness on the iconic McDonald’s All-American Games hardwood.
His enthusiasm for the Games evident, Hassan said excitedly, “It is truly a magical moment to see these inspiring athletes lace ’em up and turn hype into legacy!”
According to McDonald’s USA, 48 competitively ranked high school seniors, comprising the top 24 girls and 24 boys in the country, have been selected from more than 760 players nominated by a committee of basketball experts.
The committee was made up of the nation’s most knowledgeable analysts, prep scouts, media and coaches.
The 48 student-athletes are dubbed the future of basketball and will represent the next generation of ballers who, one day, will headline marquee matchups in sold-out arenas around the world.
For some of high school basketball’s most elite athletes, the Mc- Donald’s All-American Games is where aspirations are born, dreams are realized and hype becomes legacy.
Prior to the big game, ESPN2 will air the POWERADE Jam Fest at 7:30 p.m. ET on Mon- day, March 28. The annual Girls Game will also air on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the Boys Game will immediately follow on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET.
For 45 years, the Games continue to be the premier showcase for the nation’s best high school hoopers, where they can show off their skills on the national stage.
Here is a list of notable players on the McDonald All-American roster:
Girls Teams:
The 2022 girls roster features players committed to 17 different colleges and universities, with the University of Arizona, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, University of South Carolina, Stanford University, UCLA and the University of Connecticut each having two McDonald’s All-Americans as part of their upcoming recruiting class.
Notable players include:
Lauren Betts (Grandview High School – CO)
Kiki Rice (Sidwell Friends School – D.C.)
Janiah Barker (Montverde Academy – FL)
Ayanna Patterson (Homestead High School – IN)
Boys Teams:
The 2022 boys roster features five players from Texas, the most represented state.
Notable players include:
Dereck Lively II (Westtown School – PA)
Amari Bailey (Sierra Canyon High School – CA)
Dariq Whitehead (Montverde Academy – FL)
Nick Smith (North Little Rock High School – AR)
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
