Rivals Roundtable: McDonald's All-American Game chatter
The McDonald's All-American Game rosters were revealed this week and, as always, the list generated its share of discussion and debate. Today, Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Travis Graf weigh in on the discourse with a roundtable discussion pertaining to the rosters and the event.
RELATED: McDonald's All-American Game rosters announced | Top five players who didn't make the rosters
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WHICH PLAYER ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED SEEING IN THE MCDONALD”S ALL-AMERICAN GAME SETTING?
“Michigan State commit Xavier Booker doesn’t play the constant national schedule as some of the other guys in the game, so getting a chance to see him side-by-side with other elite prospects in practices and the game itself will provide a rare opportunity of sorts. Booker’s upside is well-established, and it will be interesting to see how far he’s come since I last saw him in person. When his raw ability gives way to polished skill, he’s going to be an absolute force, and there’s no better setting to see how far he’s come.” – Cassidy
“Kentucky signee Reed Sheppard plays high school ball in rural Kentucky, so the talent on his team and his opponent’s teams aren’t comparable to nearly every other kid on the list. However, Sheppard has always delivered on the 3SSB Circuit when playing against stiffer competition. The four-star guard plays with a high IQ and is a team-first player, so he doesn’t usually show out in camp settings on loaded rosters because he moves the ball more than he looks to score. But the McDonald’s All-American practices and game should provide a good setting for Sheppard to show off his skill set.” — Graf
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WHICH PLAYER LEFT OFF THE ROSTERS DO YOU THINK BELONGS THERE MOST?
“I’m always hesitant to discuss 'snubs' because nobody knows how difficult things like this are better than I do. No matter what you do, people are going to be unhappy and complain. That said, I think a pretty good case could be made for Arkansas commit Layden Blocker, who has thrived on big stages and spent the last two seasons thriving against top-flight competition at Sunrise Christian. He is currently a key cog on a team that is arguably among the best in the country. Blocker is a true two-way guard that does a little bit of everything on the floor. I’m looking forward to seeing him in an All-American setting.” – Cassidy
“Caleb Foster’s body of work over the course of his high school career – and even this year – can’t go unnoticed when discussing who all was left out of the game. The future Duke Blue Devil has always scored at a high level and has played at the highest level of high school basketball in America. Foster produces offensively in a couple of different areas, but most notably he’s a quality outside shooter that can get hot in a hurry.” — Graf
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WHICH PLAYER DO YOU THINK COULD SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE HIS RANKING EXPONENTIALLY?
“I’ve been on record as being impressed with the trajectory of UConn commit Stephon Castle, who has all the tools to make a case for the top five and maybe – MAYBE – an outside chance of finding himself in the discussion for the top spot. He seems to add a dimension to his game with each passing month and has the size and skill set capable of getting NBA scouts buzzing. I’ll also mention Mookie Cook, the current 36th-ranked prospect, who seems to be rounding back into form after an uneven year or so. Cook has always had the tools. His highs have been high, and his lows have been low. The last month has seen a newfound consistency, however, and the chance to run up against the best prospects in America for a week will be the perfect stage for him to make a statement about where he stands from a development and consistency standpoint.” – Cassidy
“Texas pledge Ron Holland is someone we’ve discussed bumping further up in the rankings next time around, and I think he will take matchups seriously in practices and will have a chance to really show out in this setting. The game is always up and down as well, and that’s where Holland thrives at his best, when running in transition. Another player I’m interested in seeing for the same reasons is Iowa State signee Omaha Biliew.” — Graf