2005 McDonald’s All-American Team announced

On March 30 the 28th annual McDonald's High School All-American Game will feature the top boys high school basketball talent in the nation playing at Notre Dame University's Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana.

These 24 future NCAA and NBA rising stars will rely upon the culmination of years of practice, preparation, and natural talent as they compete in an East-West format in the nation's most prestigious high school all-star game. The Boys All-American Game will be televised live by ESPN at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, March 30. The fourth annual Girls All-American Game will be televised by ESPN2 on Thursday, March 31 at 5:00 p.m. (EST).

"Any athlete would be honored to simply get nominated, but to get selected for the McDonald's All-American Game…as a young athlete, there's just no better feeling," said Coach John Wooden, the chairman of the Game. "McDonald's All-American players are leaders on and off the court. It's not just athletic talent that makes them role models, but the contribution that they make to the lives around them."

The final 24 boys players were selected from a pool of more than 1,500 nominees of top high school senior players from across America. Coach Morgan Wootten, who had more than 1,200 wins as head basketball coach at Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha High School, serves as chairman of the McDonald's All-American Selection Committee. Legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, who has been involved in the McDonald's All-American Game since its inception, is the overall chairman of the game, and an advisor to the selection committee.

More than 600 players have participated in the McDonald's All-American Game since the inaugural game in 1978 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, forming an elite list that reads like a "Who's Who" of the best in high school basketball during that time span.

McDonald's All-Americans include Michael Jordan (retired), Ralph Sampson (retired), Isiah Thomas (president, New York Knicks), Clark Kellogg (CBS Sports), Danny Manning (Kansas assistant coach), Shaquille O'Neal (Miami Heat), Chris Webber (Sacramento Kings), Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana Pacers), Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), and last year's NBA first draft pick, Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)..

The 2005 McDonald's All-American Boys Game will feature the nation's best high school seniors organized by team to provide superb individual matchups at each position. One of the top player encounters in the game should be between two of the nation's best power forwards, Duke signee, 6-foot-10 Josh McRoberts of the East team, facing future rival, North Carolina recruit, 6-foot-9 Tyler Hansbrough of the West squad. Other intriguing power forward matchups would be the East's 6-foot-8 Richard Hendrix (Alabama), battling with equally rugged 6-foot-8 Jon Brockman (Washington) of the West; and 6-foot-7 Korvotney Barber (Auburn) of the East meeting the West's 6-foot-8 Julian Wright (Kansas).

Wing forward "close encounters" could be highly rated 6-foot-8 Gerald Green (Oklahoma State) of the East team against 6-foot-7 Martell Webster (Washington) on the West. And, East players 6-foot-7 Tasmin Mitchell (L.S.U.), and 6-foot-9 Brandon Costner (N.C. State) facing 6-foot-8 Micah Downs (Kansas) of the West.

At the second guard position 6-foot-1 Louis Williams (Georgia) of the East will likely face 6-foot-4 Monta Ellis (Mississippi State) in a battle to help determine who is the best guard in this class. Another excellent second guard duel could be 6-foot-6 Danny Green (North Carolina) of the East against the West's 6-foot-6 Calvin Miles (Texas).

At the post position the East team's powerful 6-foot-11 Andrew Bynum (Connecticut) could face "local favorite," 6-foot-11 Luke Zeller (Notre Dame) of the West team. Also, the East's 6-foot-10 Eric Boateng (Duke), could go against 6-foot-9 Amir Johnson (Louisville) of the West.

And, duels at the point guard position could have another matchup of future adversaries, 6-foot-2 Greg Paulus (Duke) for the East, facing 6-foot-3 Bobby Frasor (North Carolina) of the West. Another talented point guard for the East is versatile 6-foot-4 Eric Devendorf (Syracuse), who could play against 6-foot-2 Mario Chalmers (Kansas), and/or 5-foot-11 Byron Eaton (Oklahoma State) of the West team.

The head coach for the East team is Jack Keefer of Indianapolis, Ind., Lawrence North High School. Al Rhodes of Logansport, Ind., High School is the head coach of the West team.

Three colleges, Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina, each have three future players on the 2005 McDonald's All-American Team, and Oklahoma State and Washington both have two recruits on the team. The ACC leads in signees selected with seven, followed by the Big 12 with six, the SEC with five, the Big East with four, and the Pac-10 with two future players.

2005 McDonald's All American

High School Basketball Team

ALPHABETICAL ROSTER

EAST TEAM

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School, State (Original Hometown) College

32 Korvotney Barber PF 6-9 230 Manchester High School, GA (Manchester, GA) Auburn

52 Eric Boateng C 6-10 240 St. Andrew's School, DE (London, England) Duke

33 Andrew Bynum C 7-0 300 St. Joseph High School, NJ (Plainsboro, NJ) Connecticut

34 Brandon Costner PF 6-9 230 Seton Hall Preparatory School, NJ (Montclair, NJ) NC State

22 Eric Devendorf PG 6-4 175 Oak Hill Academy, VA (Bay City, MI) Syracuse

14 Danny Green SG 6-6 205 St. Mary's High School, NY (North Babylon, NY) North Carolina

25 Gerald Green SF 6-8 200 Gulf Shores Academy, TX (Houston, TX) Oklahoma St.

35 Richard Hendrix PF 6-9 255 Athens High School, AL (Athens, AL) Alabama

44 Josh McRoberts PF 6-10 235 Carmel High School, IN (Carmel, IN) Duke

50 Tasmin Mitchell SF 6-8 235 Denham Springs High School, LA (Den. Springs, LA) LSU

20 Greg Paulus PG 6-2 185 Christian Brothers Academy, NY (Manlius, NY) Duke

24 Louis Williams SG 6-3 185 South Gwinnett High School, GA (Snellville, GA) Georgia

Head Coach Jack Keefer, Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis, IN)

Assistant Coach Ralph Scott, Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis, IN)

WEST TEAM

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School, State (Original Hometown) College

40 Jon Brockman PF 6-8 245 Snohomish High School, WA (Snohomish, WA) Washington

15 Mario Chalmers PG 6-2 180 Bartlett High School, AK (Anchorage, AK) Kansas

22 Micah Downs SF 6-8 192 Juanita High School, WA (Bothell, WA) Kansas

00 Byron Eaton PG 5-11 200 Dallas Lincoln High School, TX (Dallas, TX) Oklahoma St.

11 Monta Ellis SG 6-4 189 Lanier High School, MS (Jackson, MS) Miss. St.

42 Bobby Frasor SG 6-3 190 Brother Rice High School, IL (Blue Island, IL) North Carolina

50 Tyler Hansbrough PF 6-9 250 Poplar Bluff High School, MO (Poplar Bluff, MO) North Carolina

12 Amir Johnson C 6-9 215 Westchester High School, CA (Westchester, CA) Louisville

34 Calvin Miles SF 6-6 207 Skyline High School, TX (Dallas, TX) Texas

32 Martell Webster SG 6-7 235 Seattle Preparatory School, WA (Edmond, WA) Washington

30 Julian Wright SF 6-9 215 Homewood-Flossmoor High School, IL (Chi. Hgts, IL) Kansas

18 Luke Zeller PF 6-11 245 Washington High School, IN (Washington, IN) Notre Dame

Head Coach Al Rhodes, Logansport High School (Logansport, IN)

Assistant Coach Pete Smith, Guerin Catholic High School (Noblesville, IN)

Every athlete who participates in the McDonald's All-American Game makes a visit to the host city's Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter, and net proceeds from the Game go to help support the chapter's many initiatives. All net proceeds from the 2005 McDonald's All-American Game with benefit the RMHC of South Bend and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Nearly $4 million has been raised since the Game was first played in 1978.

For more information about the McDonald's All-American Game you can go to www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com, www.mcdepk.com/2005allamericangame or

www.mcdonalds.com.