McDonald's All-American Game: People that should be pleased
HOUSTON – McDonald's All-American Week has come and gone, and Rivals was on hand for the famous all-star game and the events leading into it. Below, our Rob Cassidy discusses which people should be most pleased based on what unfolded over the past few days in the Lone Star State.
MORE FROM THE MCDONALDS ALL-AMERICAN GAME: Top performers | Players single out top performers | Standouts give advice to college coaches
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BRONNY JAMES ADVOCATES
Whether or not Bronny James deserved to even be at the McDonald’s All-American Game has been a conversation on social media as of late, as fans both educated and otherwise argued about his selection. Certain media companies used the ongoing debate as engagement bait, and the conversations seemingly grew louder until game week arrived. The pro-Bronny crowd can confidently make a tally in the win column now, however, as his performance in Houston raised his stock and quieted critics that had started to get pretty loud. James looked solid in practices early in the week before putting on a 3-point shooting clinic on game day. James finished the contest with 15 points on 50 percent shooting and was in the thick of the hunt for MVP honors, ultimately coming up short; James will likely see some semblance of rankings boost in the final refresh.
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JOHN CALIPARI
Next season feels like a pivotal one when it comes to public opinion about Kentucky head coach John Calipari and a good chunk of the people that will shape that narrative as well as the program’s future were on display on Tuesday night. Four future Wildcats took the floor in Houston, and, any way you slice it, the return from the week that was was positive. Five-star DJ Wagner took home MVP honors after taking over the game down the stretch and leading his team back from a double-digit deficit. Meanwhile, seven-footer Aaron Bradshaw’s combination of length and shooting stroke was one of the most talked about topics of the week, and the future Wildcat flirted with a double-double on Tuesday. Fellow signees Reed Sheppard and Justin Edwards also had a positive impact on the game and left their marks on practices as well. If Calipari doesn't meet his fanbase’s lofty expectations next season, it won‘t be for a lack of talent.
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USC FANS
USC signee Isaiah Collier is currently the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals150, and his Co-MVP performance in Tuesday’s game helped solidify his standing. Collier was one of the top performers all week and showed a wide-ranging skill set that allows him to impact games whether his shots are falling or not. He finished the contest with a game-high 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting, and his body of work at the event as a whole was as well-rounded as anyone’s. Collier spent the duration of the event showcasing his shot-creation ability and remains one of the best facilitators in the country, even if his scoring grabbed the headlines at the McDonald’s Game. The Trojans appear to be getting a game-changer at the point guard spot.
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NIKE
The week’s most notable sports business moment came when Bronny James and DJ Wagner were allowed to wear non-adidas shoes in the adidas-sponsored McDonald’s All-American Game due to their respective NIL deals with Nike. It marked the first time anyone can remember a case of Swooshes being permitted to be worn by participants. Things got even better for Nike following the game, when Wagner, fresh off an MVP performance, was asked about his footwear and launched into an impromptu Nike commercial while sitting on an adidas-sponsored podium. Obviously, such a thing isn’t important in the long run. Adidas isn’t gonna see a sales hit based on a high school press conference few people watched. It is, however, worth noting because the situation is the exact kind of thing that makes rich corporate guys with #BrandBuilding or whatever in their Twitter bios absolutely furious.
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ADEN HOLLOWAY
Aden Holloway earned a rankings bump this week, as the gifted guard continues to prove himself capable of finishing through traffic despite his limited height. Holloway has always been a capable shooter, but it’s time he got the credit for being the type of well-rounded, three-level scorer he’s become. The future Auburn Tiger scored 15 points in the all-star setting and showed his range with an NBA-range 3-pointer. He was also one of the more consistently exciting and reliable players on the practice floor where he got his share of paint touches and finished through the trees on several occasions.