McDonald's All-American: Overall top performers

Houston, Texas – Tuesday evening saw the culmination of the 46th annual McDonald’s All-American game week. Twenty-four of the nation’s top recruits gathered for the week of practices, scrimmages, contests, charity work, and the game.

Top performers and notes from Practice 1 | Top performers from McDonald’s All-American Scrimmage | Top performers and notes from Practice 2 | Live updates from the McDonald’s All-American game

On3 was on hand for the week of practices, and the game was televised on ESPN. Here are our top performers from the event, which includes what we saw in the practices, the scrimmage, and Tuesday night’s game.

FULL 2023 MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN ROSTERS

MVP: CG DJ Wagner – Kentucky

DJ Wagner was an alpha throughout the week. He went through every rep, every drill, and every session with a purpose. Sure, there are some holes in his game, the jump shot is streaky, and he can get tunnel vision, but in crunch time, with the game on the line, you want DJ Wagner on your side. The Kentucky signee proved to be a high-level paint touch guard. He used a change of pace and quick first step to put the defense at a disadvantage often. While others might, long-term, project better than Wagner, this week, he stood tall against everyone. Wagner finished the game with 19, all of which came in the second half of the come-from-behind win. He is the No. 6 player in the 2023 On3 150.

2. C Aaron Bradshaw – Kentucky

It was quite the week for Aaron Bradshaw. He is listed on the McDonald’s All-American roster as a generous 7-foot-2, but nevertheless, he was clearly the tallest player in the event. That certainly did not get in the way of his production in the game. Bradshaw finished with eight rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end. During the practices and scrimmage, the Kentucky signee showed his face-up ability. Knocking down threes off the catch and showing his mid-post feel. Bradshaw will have to add weight and continue to sharpen the took-kit. But make no mistake; this was a big week for Bradshaw in the eyes of many as he moves forward. He finished with 18 points in the game, going 10-for-13 from the free-throw line. Bradshaw is the No. 7 player in the 2023 On3 150.

3. SF Ron Holland – Texas

A ranking this high was from Ron Holland’s full week body for work. For starters, he competed. In each setting, drill, game, or scrimmage, Holland brought the competitive juices. He will need to continue working on his game in the half-court, but clear progress has been made. Also, at 6-foot-8, the Texas signee was a menace on the defensive end. He used his length, quick-twitch, and anticipation to terrorize the passing lanes. And he would quickly turn defense into offense, finishing with high-flying, acrobatic dunks. Holland is young for his grade, so his body will need to continue filling out. But make no mistake; he produced all week. Holland finished the game with 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals while going 5-for-8 from the field.

4. PG Isaiah Collier – Southern California

Talk about an alpha among alphas. You never have to worry about Isaiah Collier competing. He plays with a large chip on his shoulder each time he steps on the floor. Collier puts incredible pressure at the point-of-attack, on both ends of the floor. The compactly built point guard has so much craft, at full pace, with the ball in his hands. He created opportunities for others and finished for himself quite often. The reason Collier is No. 4 and not No. 1 is the jump shot. Currently, he is a streaky shooter at best as evidenced by his 5-for-12 from the free-throw line. His ability to attack the paint and consistently make the right read is there and that is what makes him such a high-level player. The Southern California signee finished with a game-high 25 points. Collier is the No. 1 player in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

5. SG Stephon Castle – UConn

Stephon Castle plays at his own pace, and oftentimes it is one that leads to production. The 6-foot-6 guard played his best on the ball this week. My confidence in him on the ball comes from his continued development with his reads. He was able to put two feet in the paint often throughout the week, and once there, he delivered the ball appropriately. The UConn signee also knocked down a few threes during five-on-five play. Castle is a solid athlete, and he will need to stay on top of his motor, but this week he proved to be among the best, showing added facets against the high-level opponents. Castle finished the game with 13 points and two steals. He is the No. 9 player in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

6. SF Justin Edwards – Kentucky

The ultimate connector piece. Justin Edwards had his hands in a lot of positive plays for the East team. The Kentucky signee is a lengthy wing prospect and really showed his chops as a team defender. He has great anticipation in the passing lanes, getting deflections and cutting off angles regularly. Edwards jump shot is still streaky, was 1-for-4 tonight, and you want to see him create better for himself off the bounce, but the passing and cutting were certainly there. Edwards made multiple high-level pitch-ahead passes that led to easy points throughout the contest. He finished the game with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Edwards is the No. 4 player in the 2023 On3 150.

7. PG Elmarko Jackson – Kansas

The upward trend Elmarko Jackson has seen in his game continued this week. The strong and sturdy 6-foot-4 point guard was able to showcase both his explosive burst and his crafty change of pace. Jackson, who grew up a lacrosse player, and, in this class, has some of the best speed with the ball in his hands. In the past year, he has worked on slowing things down. And while he is still developing his reads and deliveries, the returns have been noticeable. There is a lot to like about the future Kansas Jayhawk.

8. CG Bronny James

All eyes are always on Bronny James. It is something he has been through his entire high school career, and it is something he handled this week, almost like all of the cameras and attention was not even a thing. One aspect you never have to worry about with James is his effort. Even being the son of the most famous basketball player on the planet, James went on to forge his own path. He is a willing and capable defender with a strong frame and nice explosive pop. He was also one of the best shooters in the event throughout the week. James will need to develop off the bounce and expand his offensive arsenal, but the pathway to being a three-and-D guard is certainly in play. James finished the game with 15 points, going 5-for-8 from three. He is the 2023 On3 150 No. 9 player in the class.

9. SG Ja’Kobe Walter – Baylor

Efficiency was the name of Ja’kobe Walter’s game this week. All of a sudden, you look down at the stat sheet and see he is in double figures, with a handful of rebounds, a few assists, and some deflections. He puts his mark on the game by making things look easy. Walter is a smooth jump shooter and a natural scorer. However, this week he stood out as a defensive presence. This aspect is not one I had seen previously with him. The way he competed in every possession throughout the week was highly impressive. The Baylor signee finished the game with 10 points on 4-for-6 from the field.

10. CG Aden Holloway – Auburn

Aden Holloway shined with the ball in his hands. He plays with great energy on the ball; he also plays with some flair. His handle is crafty and quick; he gets to his spots on the floor. His balance enables him to rise up to get looks at each level. He is also a creative finisher at the rim; even with his lack of size and pop, he can use the rim and different angles and spins to gain an advantage over bigger players. Holloway has deep range on the jumper. He showcased his skill with the ball throughout the week, especially in the small-sided games. The Auburn signee week culminated with a 15-point, 3-steal performance in the game. Holloway is the No. 25 player in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

Other notes

*Iowa State signee Omaha Biliew might have been the premier defensive presence in this event. His ability to switch and defend down a line up while being able to defend the post was on display through the drills and practice session. The 6-foot-8 power forward even knocked down threes comfortably during the week. There was a lot of good to come out of the week for him.

*Kentucky signee Reed Sheppard made all the right plays throughout the week. Whether it was the extra pass, shooting the passing lane, or knocking down shots, Sheppard made his mark by making the people on the floor with him better all week.

*Oklahoma State signee Brandon Garrison knows what he does well and plays the game within himself. And with that mindset comes solid production. He seems like a great teammate bringing positive vibes to the floor. He also is a good screener and rebounder. Garrison had a couple of nice paint finishes in the game.

*Duke signee Jared McCain has some electricity to his game. While there is also a streakiness factor, when the guard gets going, things can happen quickly. McCain won the McDonald’s All-American three-point shootout on Monday and had flashes throughout the week.

*Colorado signee Cody Williams showed some real creation chops in the open floor. When he was provided spacing in the half-court, he was able to get into the paint and make a play. The size and the length are real, and the passing ability was an intriguing takeaway.

*Oregon signee Kwame Evans had consistent flashes throughout the week. A lot of the flashes came on the defensive end, using his length both around the rim and in the passing lanes. He also showed the ability to dissect plays in the halfcourt and make reads along with knocking down spot threes. In the game he had a particular play that stood out, grabbing a rebound, navigating through traffic to push the break, and finishing right-hand through contact.

*Duke signee Sean Stewart thrives around the basket, hustle plays, rebounds, and finishes above the rim. He won the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest, but he also showed some interesting developments in his game. Stewart knocked down a dribble pull-up in the game, and he attacked the rim in the half-court.