McDonald's All-American: Overall Top Performers
Houston, Texas – Twenty-four of the nation’s top players came together under one roof to compete for multiple days at the 2024 McDonald’s All-American. On3 was on hand for the event and took in multiple event practices along with the closed scrimmage and game.
For the purposes of this top performers list we are taking into account the totality of each player’s body of worth throughout full week. Let’s discuss the top performers from McDonald’s All-American full week of events.
** Note, Tahaad Pettiford did not play in the scrimmage, practices, or game.
Scrimmage top performers | McDonald’s All-American Practice 2 Top Performers | McDonald’s All-American Practice 1 Top Performers | 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game Roster Breakdown | Official 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game Website
On3 MVP: Five-Star Plus+ CG Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Dylan Harper, son of former NBA champion Ron Harper, continues to shine with his feel for the game. The 6-foot-6 guard is at his best with the ball in his hands and he is making decisions.
Harper has a strong frame. Immediately you notice that he has trimmed down in recent months. While Harper has never been the quickest guard, his understanding of pace is unique among his peers. That shows heavily in this setting. Once Harper gets his defender on his hip, he does not let him out of jail. He throws deft passes on the move, in traffic, and continues to make excellent reads. The jump shot has remained a question. Throughout the week, Harper has consistently knocked down threes, off the catch, when his feet are set. Shooting off movement can still be tricky for him, but he has a nice floater and his ability to finish around the basket, through contact is fine.
Harper has signed with Rutgers, where his brother – Ron Harper Jr. – starred previously. Harper finished the game with 22 points, six rebounds, five assists, a block, and a steal. He was 2-of-5 from three.
2. Five-Star Plus SG VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
For me, VJ Edgecombe might have been one of the biggest stock risers of the week. While On3 was the first to put Edgecombe in the top 15, and then the first to put him in the top 5, he solidified himself this week as a true next-level type of prospect.
The two-way talent that Edgecombe has is very interesting. He has some of the quickest burst of any player in the class. His twitch allows him to guard the ball and oftentimes dictate the pace and direction of play. He has good length and a strong frame. What was interesting this week with the Baylor commitment was his passing. He was comfortable on the ball, momentum did not stop when he had possession, and he consistently made basic-plus reads that put the ball in favorable situations.
The jump shot has been a question with Edgecombe, but he showed to be a consistent threat with it this week. The 6-foot-4 guard was most comfortable shooting off the catch, he has a bit of a set shot, but it went in at a sufficient rate. He plays a clean and efficient game. He defends with a purpose, he moves the ball, and he takes the shots he is supposed to. It was a good week, consistent and productive for Edgecombe.
Edgecombe finished the game with nine points, five rebounds, and two blocks. He was 4-of-8 from the field.
3. Five-Star Plus+ SF Cooper Flagg, Duke
Cooper Flagg came into this week with a lot of eyeballs on him. And he seemed to understand that, and he relished the opportunity. From the second he stepped on the court, was generally one of the first five players on the court, to when he walked off, Flagg had a workmanlike demeanor.
During the drill session, Flagg made shots. He was at his best shooting from three when he was stepping into the shot off the catch. He still has a hitch in his shot when he comes off movement or shoots off the bounce from three. During the scrimmage, Flagg showed some of the questions that we have been asking about his game. He struggled at times to create opportunities for himself off the bounce and he struggled shooting. At the end of the day, that will be what answers long-term questions with his ceiling.
Even when his shot was not falling, Flagg still had an effect on the game. His rebounding never stopped. And he showed his off-ball defensive prowess. While he continues to get beat at times by perimeter-based wings off the bounce, the passing lane and weak side shot block timing create opportunities. Another piece that Flagg showed throughout the week is his passing. He can throw both hands, on target, off a live dribble from multiple levels. Initiation out of the pick and roll is intriguing for him.
Flagg finished the game with eight points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block.
4. Five-Star Plus+ SG Ian Jackson, UNC
Ian Jackson has a consistent outlook when it comes to playing basketball. He is an uber-competitor, but he also always plays with a smile on his face. He is an aggressive player with the ball in his hands and he is at his absolute best when the game breaks down and becomes free-flowing.
Jackson has a strong and athletic frame. He has good length. Jackson is comfortable on the ball and he can consistently create an advantage off the bounce. This week, Jackson made shots. That is been a tricky aspect of his game over the past 12 or so months. He is more comfortable taking shots off the bounce than he is the catch. He can get his feet right, balance straight, and shoulders square better off the bounce. One place that Jackson shined this week was with his defense. Standing at 6-foot-5, he has the quick twitch to slide his feet on the ball, but he also has the length and anticipation to defend in the passing lanes, and off the ball.
During the scrimmage on Sunday, Jackson proved to be someone who could take over a game. This goes back to what he was as a younger player, someone who consistently poured in big outputs, no matter the season. Gradually, as his senior high school season has progressed, Jackson has gained his confidence back. This was a good week for Jackson, a week that reminded many watching why he has been a top-ten player throughout his high school career.
Jackson finished the game with 21 points.
5. 4-star C Derik Queen, Maryland
Derik Queen has sticky hands and excellent footwork. He is able to create an advantage on the block using both footwork and angles to his advantage. He can also finish around the rim, through contact.
The ball seems to find its way into Queen’s hands on the offensive end, and he finishes with both hands, through contact. Queen has advanced footwork with an array of go-to moves and counterattacks off the bounce. He has not been a threat to shoot the ball, and he plays below the rim. At times, teams were able to spread the floor and go at Queen on the defensive end. Queen is also a good passer from multiple levels of the floor. His team can run the offense through him and trust that he will deliver on-target passes in the flow of the offense.
Regardless of the defensive questions, Queen is a matchup problem among his peers on the block. Queen finished the game with a game-high 23 points, adding eight rebounds and five assists.
6. Five-Star Plus+ SF Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Ace Bailey came into the week as one of the big storylines. He is the only player in the event that did not play on a shoe-sponsored circuit and his attendance in various national type events has been spotty.
Bailey continues to show an immense ceiling, some even suggesting his ceiling is the highest in the class. His senior season put him in the conversation for the No. 1 overall player in the class, challenging the incumbent No. 1 player, Cooper Flagg. The two were on different teams for this event, so a lot of the conversation throughout the week revolved around preferences between the two. Bailey is a tough shot-maker. Standing 6-foot-8, when he takes his turnaround mid-range shots or 35-foot stepbacks, and the fall, it is truly impressive. That said, being a tough shot maker, you can also be a bad shot taker. Throughout the week, Bailey had numerous air balls in the flow of play. He consistently leaked out instead of rebounding and he rarely put any pressure on the rim in the half-court.
Overall, there is no denying Bailey’s talent. The natural gifts with his size, length, fluidity, and touch are truly impressive. When he locks in, he can be a versatility defender with his length in the passing lanes and affecting plays off the ball. He is capable of creating space to get a clean look on most possessions. He is also capable of momentum-breaking shots and giving up easy baskets. The upside is clear and the electricity flashes.
Bailey finished the game with six points, five rebounds, two assists, and five turnovers.
7. Five-Star Plus+ SG Tre Johnson, Texas
Tre Johnson has a unique ability to create an advantage with the ball in the half-court. His footwork and balance are excellent, able to get his defender off balance and find the space to rise up and knock down a shot from multiple levels.
Typically an off-ball guard, Johnson played well on the ball here. He showed he could get the ball into the front court under pressure and get the ball to its spots without turning it over. There are questions over his defense, but he showed a full offensive arsenal here throughout the week. Certainly showing to be the top shooter in the event, for this week.
Johnson finished the game with 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists. He shot 5-of-7 from three.
8. 4-star SF Karter Knox, Kentucky
Karter Knox had a consistently effective week, answering the call each time it was asked of him. The 6-foot-6 wing has a strong and physical frame. Previously, his reputation was as a straight-line driver and a player who gets out in transition and plays above the rim.
He still does those things, and he did so this week. However, where his game showed improvement was with his shot-making. He scored the ball consistently at each level. Knox scored the ball with efficiency, getting to his spots off two or three dribbles with balance. He cut well off the ball and he slashed, when necessary, to the basket.
Knox is the younger brother of Kevin Knox, who also played in the McDonald’s All-American game. He finished with nine points, going 4-of-6 from the field and 1-of-1 from three.
9. Five-Star Plus+ SG Jalil Bethea, Miami
Jalil Bethea’s reputation is as a scorer. And he showcased that, especially during the scrimmage portion of Sunday’s practice. Bethea has a quick release, catches the ball shot-ready, and has little to no shot load off the catch.
Bethea was impressive with his feel for open areas on the floor. What he showed that I had not consistently seen here was his ability to initiate some offense. For a good portion of the second practice and the closed scrimmage, Bethea had the ball in his hands bringing it into the front court. He took care of his possessions and got the ball where it needed to go.
Bethea, a Miami signee, is a 6-foot-5 guard. He has taken a huge step over the last year. On3 was the first to move Bethea into the top 15, in June of 2023. Even since then, he has continued to grow his game and continue to move his way forward.
10. 4-star PG Boogie Fland, Kentucky
Boogie Fland has an ‘it-factor’ about him that always seems to end with positive results. While the path to the result might be a little up and down, his teammates – in all settings – seem to rave about playing with him.
Even in the game tonight, Fland made shots and moved the ball around enough to bring his East Team back from a deficit that was approaching 20 points to only being down seven at the half. Throughout the week, Fland’s leadership qualities were on full display. He was vocal, no matter the setting, getting his teammates into position and he simply made plays.
Fland finished the game with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. He shot 3-of-6 from three.
Other McDonald’s All-American Week Performers
Five-Star Plus+ C Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky) is the youngest player in the event. But he also has one of the most physically gifted frames of the bunch. Quaintance has great length with a lot of burst and explosion around the basket. He is still figuring out his game and how he can be the most effective on the court, but without a doubt his flashes are loud and his ceiling is high.
5-star SF Isaiah Evans (Duke) is a shot-maker. The two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year had multiple 40 and 50-point games with Huntersville (NC) North Mecklenburg High School. Evans’ shot did not fall in any of the settings this week. He struggled to find space to get his shot off. However, he consistently played with an enthusiasm and energy. He has a lot of confidence.
4-star SF Bryson Tucker (Indiana) has a strong and physical frame, and he uses that to probe the defense and find open space in the half-court. He is at his best in the mid-range, especially getting to the elbows. He showed very well on the defensive this week as well.
Five-Star Plus+ SF Derrion Reid (Alabama) is a do-it-all wing prospect. At 6-foot-7, Reid has good length and can defend multiple positions. He also has a quick first step to get downhill and shows good passing vision. The next step is to develop counters off the bounce and to solidify his jump shot. Reid puts up stats across the board, on both ends of the floor.
5-star SF Liam McNeeley (uncommitted) is a shooter, and he shot the ball well throughout the week, especially with his feet set. But where he really shined was with his leadership. McNeeley was one of the more vocal players throughout the week. In the scrimmage, McNeeley attacked the basket and made plays in the paint. After decommitting from Indiana, McNeeley is the highest-ranked uncommitted player in the 2024 class.
5-star SF Drake Powell (UNC) is a connecting player and sometimes games like the McDonald’s All-American are not the best setting to showcase their game. Throughout the week, Powell moved the ball well and he proved to be one of the best on-ball defenders in the event. He also shot the ball well throughout the week, both with catch-and-shoot threes and pull-up jumpers.
4-star PG Trent Perry (uncommitted) simply does not make mistakes. He moves the ball, does not turn it over, and he knocks down shots. While Perry might not be the most dynamic guard, he makes a lot of winning plays and elevates the play of those around him.
4-star PG Zoom Diallo (Washington) is a strong guard. He struggled at times this week making things happen, turning the ball over in traffic. But when he was able to get in transition, he has a good balance and finished well at the basket.
4-star C John Bol (Ole Miss) is hard to miss on the court. He is a 7-foot-2 center with great length and mobility. That is the part that makes his game so intriguing is the way he moves at his size. While his offensive game needs to find direction, the defensive upside is very high.
4-star SF Carter Bryant (Arizona) has good size, fluid athleticism, and a potential player archetype outcome that is very valuable. During live play, Bryant showed his ability to guard up and down a lineup. He had quick feet laterally, good length off the ball, and the length and size to affect play around the paint. During the drills, he showed a compact and repeatable shooting stroke that fell at a consistent rate. He is still putting it all together, but the pathway is clear.
4-star C Aiden Sherrell (Alabama) has great size with length and fluidity. This week he also showed shooting touch with some range. Sherrell has loose hips, able to change direction and run the floor. He also can stretch the floor out beyond the arc. While his game still needs some time, there are a lot of tools that he has that translate to the highest level.
4-star PF Donnie Freeman (Syracuse) emerged as a top ten prospect in On3’s last 2024 On3 150 update. And he showed why this week. A combo-forward he moved his feet well on defense and affected play in the passing lanes. He also consistently knocked down shots off the catch and off one and two dribbles.
5-star C Flory Bidunga (Kansas) is highly explosive, and he plays with a non-stop motor. He has good timing on defense, able to move his feet and has good timing. He needs others to create for him offensively, but he is an excellent lob catcher and runs with a purpose from the front of the rim to the front of the rim.