CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — It’s almost time for the 2023 McDonald’s All American Games’ class to hit the hardwood in Houston, as the 48 up-and-coming superstars set to make the final rosters were unveiled by the Games’ Selection Committee today. On the girls’ side, the number of competitive female collegiate programs across the sport continues to rise – with this year’s incoming class committing to 19 different schools in 2023, the most in over a decade. And for the boys, the roster features the first, third generation McDonald’s All American – making the Games a true family affair. Plus, this year’s rosters to dominate on the recruiting trail with over a third of players currently committed to schools boasting a combined 17 collegiate championships. Catch the best of high school hoops going head-to-head on Tuesday, March 28 at Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets.
The 2023 rosters were chosen from a list of 722 nominees by some of the nation’s top analysts, prep scouts, media and coaches based on competitive criteria. This year’s players join some of the biggest names in basketball who have donned the iconic jersey over the years and went on to make big waves at the next level, including Cole Anthony, Sophie Cunningham, Nneka Ogwumike and Derrick Rose.
“McDonald’s has a long legacy of using our place in culture to fuel our fans’ passions – whether that’s music, art, fashion or sports. And over the past 46 years, the McDonald’s All American Games have become one of the biggest moments in basketball,” said Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s USA. “The incredible talent we’ve seen come through this program is the reason it’s stood the test of time. Games week is an opportunity for future legends to show the entire world what they’re made of, and I can’t wait to see what the class of ’23 brings to the court.”
Making The Girls Dream Team
The 2023 girls rosters features four players from California, the most represented state. This includes some of the area’s top players such as Judea Watkins (Sierra Canyon School), Breya Cunningham (La Jolla Country Day School), Amanda Muse (Heritage High School) and Jada Williams (La Jolla Country Day School).
And to round out the roster, this squad will call on nationally ranked stars from across the county like Mikaylah Williams (Parkway High School – LA), Jadyn Donovan (Sidwell Friends School – DC) and Hannah Hidalgo (Paul VI High School – NJ).
The Boys are Ready to Ball
The 2023 boys rosters includes some of the game’s elite high school stars, with four coming from New Jersey and another three from California.
From top to bottom, both rosters have talent and depth – with guys like D.J. Wagner (Camden High School – NJ), Justin Edwards (Imhotep Institute Charter High School – PA, Isaiah Collier (Wheeler High School – GA) and Bronny James (Sierra Canyon High School – CA).
A complete list of 2023 McDonald’s All American Games Final Rosters is available at mcdaag.com.
Coaching the Best Ballers
Having elite coaches to lead these future stars is a must. Four high school coaches from different regions of the county will lead the Girls and Boys teams during this year’s Games:
- Girls East Team Coach, Kathleen Richey-Walton of Southwest Dekalb High School in Decatur, Georgia
- Girls West Team Coach, Karen Weitz of Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Boys East Team Coach, Richard Bacon of DeSoto High School in DeSoto, Texas
- Boys West Team Coach, Grant Rice of Bishop Gorman Catholic High School in Las Vegas, Nevada
Experience History in the Making
There are many ways to witness the game’s future stars in action – whether you’ll be traveling to Houston or watching at home:
- Tickets to the POWERADE® Jam Fest on Monday, March 27 are now available at gofan.co. Tickets are free with a suggested donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RHMC).
- Tickets to the McDonald’s All American Games at Toyota Center on Tuesday, March 28 are now available at toyotacenter.com.
- Fans can tune in to the POWERADE Jam Fest on Monday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The 2023 McDonald’s All American Girls Game will air on Tuesday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and the Boys Game will immediately follow on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET.
“Houston and all of our great fans will be an amazing backdrop to host the Games’ next great stars when they hit the court in March,” said 2008 McDonald’s All American Nneka Ogwumike. “This city means so much to me and I just want to give back all that it gave me through the years. I’m excited Houston gets to be the proving ground for the next generation of high school basketball players in 2023 and I can’t wait for the city to show this class what we’re all about.”
Supporting The Community
The McDonald’s All American Games have benefitted Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) and its network of local Chapters since their inception. The 2023 Games will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston / Galveston. Throughout Games week, fans will also have the chance to support the RMHC mission through donation opportunities at various Games activities. RMHC helps bring communities together to support children and families throughout their healthcare journey by providing comfort, care and vital resources, when it’s needed most.
Follow @McDAAG on Instagram and TikTok for the latest news and announcements.
About McDonald’s USA
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About RMHC
Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®), is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through a global network of over 260 Chapters in more than 60 countries and regions, RMHC enables, facilitates and supports family-centered care through three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House®, the Ronald McDonald Family Room® and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®. RMHC programs help families children who are ill or injured stay together and near leading hospitals and health care services worldwide, ensuring they have access to the medical care their child needs while fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care. For more information, visit rmhc.org.
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