McDonald's All-American team 2024: Cooper Flagg headlines boys basketball rosters

McDonald’s All-American team 2024: Cooper Flagg headlines boys basketball rosters

Posted by Admin January 29, 2024 NBA

The 2024 McDonald’s All-American East and West rosters were unveiled on Tuesday, locking 24 of the best high school basketball seniors in America into the prestigious April game.

The game will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston on April 2 at 8 p.m. central time and will be televised on ESPN.

Who are the 24 best high school basketball players in the country, according to the McDonald’s All-American selection committee?

From projected top 2025 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg, to defending CIF Open Division state champion Harvard-Westlake star guard Trent Perry, here is everything you need to know about the East and West team rosters.

Here is a full breakdown of the rosters:

WEST TEAM

Ace Bailey

Photo by Colin Hubbard

High school: McEachern (Georgia)

College: Rutgers

The smooth, dynamic 6-foot-8 forward is the nation’s No. 2 rated prospect, and a walking double-double who has asserted himself among the best players in the country with big performances, stellar moments and projectable skills as he leads McEachern, a Georgia Class 7A state contender on the national rankings bubble. He recently hit a tough contested fadeaway game-winner to cap a 31-point, 16-rebounds outing and secure a Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions third place win.

Flory Bidunga

ben-davis-kokomo-indiana-boys-basketball-march-25-2023-julie-l-brown-20066 — Photo by Julie Brown, SBLive Sports

High school: Kokomo (Indiana)

College: Kansas (signed)

And you thought he was just a 6-foot-9 forward for Kokomo’s soccer team. The Kansas signee is amid yet another dominant season for Kokomo (15-3), averaging 17.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and 3.5 assists per game after leading the Indiana school to a Class 4A state championship as a junior, earning him SBLive Junior All-American honors in 2022-23.

Carter Bryant

High school: Corona Centennial (California)

College: Arizona (signed)

Is he the best player in California? The Burger Committee (not trademarked) certainly thinks the 6-foot-8, 220-pound five-star forward is among them. Bryant, an Arizona signee, played at Sage Hill before transferring to Corona Centennial, where he’s averaging 17 points and 9.3 boards per game, recently went for 39 against Eastvale Roosevelt and has the Huskies (17-9) out to an undefeated start in Big VIII League play.

Zoom Diallo

High school: Prolific Prep (California)

College: Washington (signed)

The 6-foot-5 five-star guard stepped onto campus as a freshman at Washington power Curtis a wonder kid. He led the Vikings to WIAA Class 4A state championships as a sophomore and junior, and he’s confirmed his status among the nation’s top players after transferring to nationally ranked Prolific Prep as a senior. He’s returning to his home state to play for the Washington Huskies. Diallo is a playmaking point guard with elite athleticism who can do a little bit of everything.

VJ Edgecombe

High school: Long Island Lutheran (New York)

College: Baylor (signed)

Edgecombe led Long Island’s Lutheran’s rise to one of the nation’s top teams as a junior. The 6-foot-5 guard is still taking over games, flashing his next-level athleticism for LuHi (11-3), the No. 6 ranked team in the nation (SBLive/SI). He’s averaging 14.3 points, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals through five games in the EYBL Scholastic League. SBLive’s Junior of the Year in 2022-23 recently committed to Baylor.

Donovan “Donnie” Freeman

The 2023 City of Palms Classic basketball tournament continued Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Paul VI Catholic High School (Chantilly, VA) faced off against IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) for a quarterfinal showdown. Paul VI moves on to the semi finals with their 71-70 victory. — Photo by Ricardo Rolon, USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA, USA TODAY NETWORK

High school: IMG Academy (Florida)

College: Syracuse (signed)

Now a five-star prospect, per ESPN, he’s the first Syracuse commit in nine years to be named a McDonald’s All-American. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward rose to prominence at St. John’s College High School in Washington D.C., then transferred to prep power IMG Academy for his senior season. He had 20 points and nine boards in nationally ranked IMG’s loss to the No. 1 team in the country, Montverde.

Dylan Harper

High school: Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey)

College: Rutgers (signed)

Much has been — and will be — written about his father being five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. The 6-foot-5 point guard already has NBA-projectable tools, along with plenty of the same doggedness and has Don Bosco Prep out to a 14-3 record with 22.8 points per game. He’s ESPN’s No. 3 rated prospect in the country.

Tre Johnson

Link Academy Missouri Burlington School North Carolina boys basketball January 20 2024 Nate Latsch 25660 — Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports

High school: Link Academy (Missouri)

College: Texas (signed)

A 6-foot-6 combo guard, Johnson rose to one of the top-rated prospects in the country and led Lake Highlands (Texas) to a UIL Class 6A state championship. He transferred to Link Academy where he stars for the No. 5 ranked team in the country, and he’ll return to Texas to play for the Longhorns next year.

Karter Knox

High school: Overtime Elite (Georgia)

College: Uncommitted

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Knox led Tampa Catholic (Florida) to consecutive FHSAA state semifinals berths, before transferring to Overtime Elite over Florida laws that bar NIL opportunities (According to B-R, he is on a scholarship with the professional club that preserves his college eligibility). The small forward has not committed to a college, and is deciding between Kentucky, Louisville, South Florida and the G League. His older brother Kevin Knox was a lottery pick out of Kentucky and plays for the Detroit Pistons.

Trent Perry

Columbus Harvard Westlake boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 30 2023 Naji Saker 2 -Southridge Harvard Westlake boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational postgame December 2023 Naji Saker-277 — Photo by Naji Saker, SBLive Sports

High school: Harvard-Westlake (California)

College: USC (signed)

Perry helped lead Harvard-Westlake to a CIF Open Division state championship in 2022 and becomes the school’s first McDonald’s All-Americans since 1997 when twins Jason and Jarron Collins were selected. The 6-foot-4 Perry is a crafty four-star USC signee averaging 17 points, six boards and six assists per game. SBLive’s 2023 California Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Derrion Reid

High school: Prolific Prep (California)

College: Alabama (signed)

The 6-foot-8 forward can operate in the post and step out and shoot a reliable 3-ball. Before the recent Alabama signee was sidelined with a knee injury in December, he was the nation’s No. 4 ranked team’s top rebounder and blocks leader. The No. 8 prospect in the class, he’ll be the fourth highest rated recruit in Alabama basketball history.

Aiden Sherrell

High school: Prolific Prep (California)

College: Alabama (signed)

The 6-foot-11 forward can run the floor, clean up on the offensive glass and shot-block at an elite level. A native of Detroit, Sherrell is a four-star and the No. 21 rated prospect in the country in 2024 (ESPN). He prepped at Georgia powerhouse Norcross, then Hillcrest Prep (Arizona), then Wasatch Academy (Utah) before transferring to Prolific Prep, the nation’s No. 4 ranked team, for his senior season.

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EAST TEAM

Jalil Bethea

High school: Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania)

College: Miami (signed)

Bethea’s commitment to Miami made waves. He’s the second five-star prospect to commit to the school and first top 10 recruit. He averaged 23 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game at the King Cotton Holiday Classic. The 6-foot-4 five-star shooting guard is the No. 6 player in the class (ESPN).

John Bol

High school: Overtime Elite (Georgia)

College: Ole Miss (signed)

Originally from the South Sudan, the 7-foot-2 Bol began at Christian Brother (Missouri), transferred to national high school basketball powerhouse Sunrise Christian (Kansas) for his junior season, then left for Overtime Elite. He’s averaging 10.3 points and 9.9 boards and 2.1 blocks per game for the Cold Hearts. He was SBLive’s National Defensive Player of the Year for 2022-23.

Isaiah Evans

High school: North Mecklenburg (North Carolina)

College: Duke (signed)

North Mecklenburg’s pride, Evans made a name for himself as a sophomore and junior, and has elevated to one of the nation’s top prospects as a senior. ESPN’s No. 7 rated player in the class. Posted 25 points in a rivalry win over Chambers (N.C.) earlier this month. Dropped 44 on Hopewell last year.

Cooper Flagg

High school: Montverde Academy (Florida)

College: Duke (signed)

If pressed to select one appointment viewing player in the class, Flagg’s your undeniable choice. The top player projected in the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg classed up from 2025 and remained the consensus top player in the class for a reason. The 6-foot-9, 195-pound forward can score in a bevy of ways, attack the rim at a level indistinguishable from the pros and has led national No. 1 ranked Montverde Academy on its thus-far undefeated season. He’s averaging 16.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game.

Johnuel “Boogie” Fland

Stepinac's Boogie Fland (1) drives to the basket against St. Raymonds during CHSAA basketball action at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains Jan. 19, 2024. Stepinac won the game 100-71. — Photo by Frank Becerra Jr., The Journal News, USA TODAY NETWORK

High school: Archbishop Stepinac (New York)

College: Kentucky (signed)

The 6-foot-2 combo guard from White Plains is the No. 15 rated prospect in the class. He’s averaging 18.3 points for 12-3 Archbishop Stepinac. He was a standout at Peach Jam in July and has carried it into a stellar senior season.

Ian Jackson

High school: Our Saviour Lutheran (New York)

College: North Carolina (signed)

He’s leading Our Saviour Lutheran after three standout years at Cardinal Hayes. Alongside Drake Powell, he’s one of two UNC signees selected. The nation’s No. 16 prospect (ESPN) is a 6-foot-4 five-star small forward.

Liam McNeeley

High school: Montverde Academy (Florida)

College: Indiana (signed)

McNeeley, who led John Paul II to a TAPPS (Texas) 6A title as a sophomore before transferring, is now a key cog in Montverde’s preseason-to-current national No. 1 status. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward is averaging 12.3 points per game, and is the No. 12 prospect and No. 2 rated small forward in the country (Rivals). Plenty is made of the prep school’s 2019-20 team that included now-current NBA players Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Moses Moody (Warriors) and Caleb Houston (Magic).

Tahaad Pettiford

Don Bosco plays Hudson Catholic during the Dennis Gregory Memorial Classic at Caldwell University on Saturday Jan.15, 2022. (From left) HC #21 Xavier Edwards, DB #3 Evan Cabral and HC #0 Tahaad Pettiford. — Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

High school: Hudson Catholic (New Jersey)

College: Auburn (signed)

The 5-foot-10 four-star point guard is ESPN’s No. 27 rated prospect nationally and the top point guard in the class, per 247 Sports. He had a 33-point game at Hoophall.

Drake Powell

High school: Northwood (North Carolina)

College: Kentucky (signed)

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound small forward is among the top prospects in North Carolina and No. 9 recruit in the country (247). Had a 19-point, 10-point double-double at the Capitol City Classic in Oregon. Standout for Team CP3 on the EYBL circuit. “I love playing against those top guys,” Powell told SBLive in December.

Jayden Quaintance

High school: Word of God Academy (North Carolina)

College: Kentucky (signed)

One of three North Carolina prospects selected, the 6-foot-10, 225-pound Quaintance is the nation’s No. 1 rated center and No. 4 overall prospect (On3). Averaged 15.4 points, 10.9 boards, 3.5 blocks and 1.3 steals as a junior playing for Overtime Elite.

Derik Queen

High school: Montverde Academy (Florida)

College: Uncommitted

Nation’s No. 2 rated center (Rivals) and No. 12 rated overall prospect (247) is one of the last remaining uncommitted top prospects in the country. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound Queen, who is deciding between Maryland, Kansas, Indiana and Houston, averages 16.3 points per game for the consensus nation’s No. 1 team.

Bryson Tucker

High school: Bishop O’Connell (Virginia)

College: Uncommitted

Screen-shot this: Tucker is a Burger Boy without having played AAU basketball. The 6-foot-7 forward is the nation’s No. 3 rated small forward, No. 12 overall prospect in the country and the top recruit in Virginia, per On3. He’s not committed, and deciding between Kansas, Michigan State and the G League. Played for IMG Academy as a junior.