OAK BROOK, Ill. — Golden Arch Madness is back and better than ever.
The McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games unveiled the official rosters for the 37th Annual Boys Game and 13th Annual Girls Game during today’s 2014 McDonald’s All American Games Selection Show on ESPNU. The nation’s top annual high school basketball all-star event will again be played at Chicago’s United Center on April 2. Full team rosters are available now at www.mcdaag.com.
The 2014 McDonald’s All American Boys Team features the consensus number one player in the country Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young – Chicago, Ill.), playing for the West Team against the East Team’s top big man Cliff Alexander (Curie High School – Chicago, Ill.). Tyler Ulis (Marian Catholic – Chicago Heights, Ill.) rounds out the Chicago trio. Okafor will square off against highly ranked centers Karl Towns, Jr. (St. Joseph High School – Metuchen, N.J.) and Myles Turner (Trinity High School – Euless, Tex.), one of five boys hailing from Texas. Other players with ties to the Lone Star state include Emmanuel Mudiay (Prime Prep Academy – Dallas, Tex.), Justin Jackson (Homeschool Christian – Tomball, Tex.), Justise Winslow (St. John’s High School – Houston, Tex.) and Kelly Oubre (Findlay Prep – Henderson, Nev.), originally from Richmond, Tex. Of the 24 Boys selected to the team, Kentucky and Duke have the most commitments, each with four. The Boys Game begins at 8:30 p.m. CT April 2, and will be televised live on ESPN.
The Girls Team includes top ranked A’Ja Wilson (Heathwood Hall Episcopal School – Columbia, S.C.) along with five players from California and four from Texas. California participants includeJordin Canada (Windward School – Los Angeles, Calif.), Lajahna Drummer (Long Beach Polytechnic High School – Long Beach, Calif.), high school teammates, Mikayla Cowling (St. Mary’s College High School – Albany, Calif.) and Gabby Green (Saint Mary’s College High School – Albany, Calif.) and Mariya Moore (Salesian High School – Richmond, Calif.). The four Texas participants include Brianna Turner (Manvel High School – Manvel, Tex.), Ariel Atkins (Duncanville High School – Duncanville, Tex.), Recee’ Caldwell (FEAST Home School – San Antonio, Tex.), and Brooke McCarty (Clear Springs High School – League City, Tex.). Of the 24 Girls Game participants, UCLA will have the most McDonald’s All Americans suiting up next fall with three commits. The Girls Game begins at 6:00 p.m. CT April 2, and will be televised live on ESPNU.
“The McDonald’s All American Games are where the elite players serve notice of what’s to come at the next level,” said Douglas Freeland, director of the McDonald’s All American Games. “With the great success of last year’s players at the collegiate level this year, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for Chicago on April 2.”
This year’s teams were selected from the field of more than 1,000 Nominees by the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee, led by committee chairman, Morgan Wootten, legendary Hall-of-Fame basketball coach.
Since 1978, more than 1,150 players have competed in the McDonald’s All American Games, forming an elite list of some of the top names in basketball history including, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, Maya Moore and Elena Delle Donne.
Tickets to the 2014 McDonald’s All American Games are available now through Ticketmaster or charge-by-phone at 1-866-909-GAME. Tickets start at $10 and include free parking. Net proceeds from the Games benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The Games have raised more than $10 million for RMHC since 1978.
The POWERADE® Jam Fest – featuring many of the McDonald’s All American Games players in a skills competition, three-point shootout and dunk contest – will be held at the Gerald Ratner Athletic Center on the campus of the University of Chicago on March 31. The competitions will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
