McDonald's All-American Game: Teams that should be pleased
CHICAGO – The top high school basketball prospects in the country took the stage at the 2022 McDonald's All-American Game on Tuesday night in what was a bit of a celebration of the high school careers of each. There was plenty to be gleaned, however, as every prospect in the game is committed to a major college. Below, Rivals.com explores which programs should be happiest about how things unfolded in the Windy City.
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2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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DUKE
The good news keeps pouring into Durham. No. 1 overall prospect Dariq Whitehead lived up to impossibly high expectations by taking home MVP honors. He also showed off a nice pull-up jumper from three-point range and shot the ball well from all over the floor. He finished the night with 13 points on 50% shooting and racked up a game-high seven assists. Fellow Blue Devil signee Dereck Lively used his 7-foot-1 frame and high-level athleticism to remind everyone that he’s a one-and-done type talent. He finished with a hyper-efficient 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting, and it remains impossible to ignore the center’s ceiling. If Lively begins to play a bit angrier it could do wonders for his future. Duke’s other All-American, Mark Mitchell, finished with a game-high 19 points and took home the Most Outstanding Player Award for the losing West squad. Everything came up Duke on Tuesday night, and Blue Devil fans hope that trend continues in this weekend’s Final Four.
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OREGON
Big man Kel'el Ware flirted with a double-double and he registered eight points and 10 rebounds. He also managed to flash the massive upside that has NBA scouts keeping a close eye on his progression. The 7-footer pulled off a pair of athletic put-back dunks in the first half and was an absolute nightmare in passing lanes in addition to blocking one shot and changing a handful of others. On the offensive end, he showed off nice touch around the rim and proved he’s improved from a post-move standpoint. Ware was Oregon's lone representative, but he did enough to excite fans in Eugene.
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ARKANSAS
The good vibes for Razorbacks fans started more than 24 hours before Tuesday’s game tipped off, when the top uncommitted player in America, guard Anthony Black, announced his intentions to sign with Arkansas at the Powerade Skills Competition. Black’s commitment gave Eric Musselman’s 2022 class three McDonald's All-Americans, as Black joined five-stars Nick Smith and Jordan Walsh in the fold. So while the trio combined to score a modest 16 points and dished out just six assists in the game, Smith drew rave reviews at practices this week and remains in the top-five conversation when it comes to rankings. Few programs have had a better week than Arkansas, which seems to be building momentum by the day coming off of back-to-back Elite Eight appearances. Smith and Black battled through mediocre shooting efforts but showed flashes of greatness from a passing standpoint and impacted the game on the defensive end.
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KENTUCKY
Wildcat signee Chris Livingston hit an early three-pointer from the corner, which was encouraging on its own, as the 6-foot-6 forward has worked to become a better long-range shooter this year and looked confident letting it fly. If Livingston continues to become a better shooter, his body, motor and ability to impact games in the paint and on the glass could make him a future lottery pick. Livingston finished with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists. Fellow Kentucky signee Cason Wallace struggled shooting the ball, going 3-for-10 from the field, but he impacted the game with six assists and five rebounds.
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VILLANOVA
It’s good to be Jay Wright. The Villanova head coach has his team in the Final Four for the fourth time and his star signee went for a team-high 19 points and eight rebounds in the most famous high school sports event on earth. Sure, Cam Whitmore scored a handful of his points on breakaway dunks, but his motor and athleticism on both ends were downright impressive. Whitmore was as active as any prospect in the game and created turnovers that didn't always land in the steals column. The 6-foot-6 forward also showed an ability to take defenders off the dribble and finish around the basket in traffic.
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HOUSTON
Houston-bound forward Jarace Walker dominated the game for a stretch in the first half and he showed out on both ends of the floor. He finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Beyond that, his athleticism and size, in addition to a remarkable block that saw him pin a ball against the backboard, left a lasting impression. Walker even showed off a spurt of nifty ball handling for which the 225-pound forward is not exactly known. Anyway you slice it, the Cougars are getting a steal in the form of Walker, who has all the tools to be a pro down the road if he continues to develop from a skill standpoint.