Many different players from different backgrounds have risen to NBA stardom over the years, but historically, the best of the best played in the McDonald's All-American Game at the conclusion of their high school careers before they made it to the top level in basketball. The NBA has never before had more foreign talent dominating the league, though.
Five of the consensus top six players currently in the NBA came from overseas or weren't born in the United States. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama are all European, and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian. Some really great American NBA players weren't highly enough recruited to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, including Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, and Donovan Mitchell. Even Cade Cunningham, who was an All-American selection, didn't get to play in the game itself when it was cancelled because of COVID-19.
That means there isn't as much All-American-turned All-NBA talent at the top of the league as normal, but some of the best players in the NBA have basketball roots stemming from the McDonald's All-American Game. So, how did the best NBA players who played in the McDonald's All-American Game actually perform in the showcase of the best high school basketball players in the nation?
Note: McDonald's All-American statistics found here.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
The best American hooper currently in the world is Anthony Edwards. His basketball prowess has been evident dating back to his high school days, but he wasn't quite his normal dominant self in the McDonald's All-American Game. That isn't to say he was bad. He was actually highly efficient (62.% from the field) en route to scoring 12 points.
Fans have just gotten used to the Minnesota Timberwolves' star lighting up the scoreboard on a nightly basis. The 12 points he scored were tied for just the eighth most in the 2019 game, and this was despite playing the most minutes (21) of all participants. The subpar performance for his standards didn't prevent Edwards from becoming the number one overall pick. He put up huge numbers at Georgia and is still getting better year in and year out.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James was the most highly touted prospect in NBA history. He went straight to the league as the number one overall pick after his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the kid from Akron thrived in the McDonald's All-American Game. In fact, his performance in the 2003 event was ranked as the best performance in the history of the game.
Already labeled the Chosen One, James stuffed the stat sheet with 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. That point total is tied for the seventh-best mark in the history of the game, and the six steals are tied for the third most ever. James has long been an uber-versatile player who can do everything on the basketball court, which is why he is one of two McDonald's All-American Game MVPs on this list.
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
With his running mate, Jayson Tatum, sidelined for almost all of this season, Jaylen Brown has had the chance to remind fans what he can do as the top option. He was one of the top high school players and arguably the top scoring threat in the nation back in his high school days. Brown was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Georgia.
Brown didn't necessarily show that in the 2015 McDonald's All-American Game, though. He had just nine points in that contest. He did add six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals, though, proving he is a versatile player. Brown's defense in this game was what really got Cal fans excited. Brown thrives in the point of attack and can play help defense, and his steals/blocks totals showed that.
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Another 2025 McDonald's All-American named Jalen, Jalen Brunson did even less than Brown in the all-star showcase, at least in the scoring department. The Villanova-bound guard had just six points. He did prove he can impact the game in other areas, even in games where the basketball isn't dropping, though.
At just 6-feet-2-inches tall, Brunson had seven rebounds. He added four assists, too. Brunson is a gritty player who commands the floor and plays bigger than he is. That was evident as far back as 2015.
Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
Kevin Durant is also responsible for one of the greatest McDonald's All-American performances ever. Playing in the game way back in 2006, Durant had 25 points, five rebounds, and four assists, which resulted in Co-MVP honors alongside Chase Budinger. Budinger only had 11 points, so it was controversial that the MVP was split.
Regardless, this was just one example of Durant outplaying the only recruit who was ranked higher than himself, Greg Oden. Oden would go on to become the number one pick, too, although Durant was the first freshman to win Naismith Player of the Year honors. Oden became one of the biggest NBA Draft busts ever, whereas Durant is still going strong as one of the best players in the history of the NBA.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker was excelling on the basketball court at a young age. That was perhaps most evident when he became the youngest player ever with 60-plus points in an NBA game. He scored 70 for the Phoenix Suns at just age 20. Even before that, Booker played in the McDonald's All-American Game.
His scoring in that game was a far cry from what fans would see in his iconic 70-point performance, though. In the 2014 All-American Game, Booker had just eight points. He couldn't find his stroke, as he made just 37.5% of his shots. Unfortunately, Booker didn't do much else, either. The only other statistic he recorded was one single assist.
James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers
James Harden has become both one of the greatest scorers and one of the greatest facilitators in NBA history. The guard who was recently traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers is ninth on the all-time scoring list with 29,160 points. The 36.1 points he scored per game in 2018-19 are also the most in a single season for anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan. In recent years, Harden has developed his game to become a multi-time assist leader, too.
He didn't necessarily display his offensive genius in the 2007 McDonald's All-American Game. With just eight points, 19 players scored as many or more points than him. He also totalled just one assist.
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Bam Adebayo just scored 83 points, the second most in a single game ever. The Miami Heat center was far from the first player fans would have guessed to have such a scoring outburst, but his ability to put the ball in the basket has long been underrated. Adebayo can put the ball on the floor and create off the bounce. He also has an always-improving jump shot.
Adebayo's scoring was underrated dating back to the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game. He scored 16 points on top of securing 12 rebounds. Josh and Frank Jackson took home Co-MVP honors, but Adebayo had a performance worth of recognition.
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Tyrese Maxey had a solid game in the 2019 McDonald's All-American Game. He made half of his field goal attempts en route to totaling 13 points in just 19 minutes. This was better than his draft class peer, who'd eventually go first overall in the NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards.
Maxey's success comes as little surprise. After all, he was a Kentucky recruit, and John Calipari did nothing but get the best of the best at the guard position at the time. Now, Maxey has developed into one of the best scorers in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Karl-Anthony-Towns, New York Knicks
The 2014 NCAA recruiting class was stacked with centers. Jahlil Okafor and Myles Turner were the top two big men in the class. Eventually, Karl-Anthony Towns would prove to be the best pivot man from the class, as he'd go on to become the number one pick and has established himself as the best 3-point shooting center in NBA history.
While he was highly recruited, he wasn't the top big man around his high school graduation, and his McDonald's All-American performance didn't do him many favors. In that game, Towns had just six points in 19 minutes.
