5 BOYS TO WATCH
The best boys basketball players in the country are coming to Houston.
The 46th annual McDonald’s All-American Boys Game will be 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Toyota Center.
The Chronicle takes a look at the top five players to watch in the McDonald’s All-American Game:
Bronny James, Sierra Canyon, G, Uncommitted
The 6-3, four-star guard is the second McDonald’s All American in his family. James is the son of four-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who played in the McDonald’s AllAmerican Game in 2003. Bronny James hasn’t decided on his future in basketball but holds offers from Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and USC. He averaged 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game during his senior season. He’s the No. 35 overall prospect in the nation according to 247Sports.
Ronald Holland, Duncanville, G, Texas
Holland becomes the 23rd Texas signee to play in the McDonald’s AllAmerican Game. The 6-8, five-star forward is the No. 1 player in Texas and the No. 6 player in the country. In his senior season, he scored 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game for the Panthers. He’s one of two Texans playing in the All-American Game. Holland was named the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year.
Ja’Kobe Walter, Link Academy, SG, Baylor
Walter played his first three seasons at McKinney High School in the Dallas/Fort Worth area before transferring to Link Academy in Missouri for his senior season. He will play his final high school game in Texas. In his junior year at McKinney, he helped the Lions make it to the Class 6A state final, where McKinney lost 69-49 to Duncanville. He’s ranked as the No. 1 shooting guard in Texas and has signed to play at Baylor.
Isaiah Collier, Wheeler, PG, USC
Wheeler is the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, according to 247Sports. The 6-3, 190pound five-star point guard is a USC signee. Collier was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, averaging 20.2 points, 6.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 31 games. He led his team to a Class 7A state title game. He’s the 11th USC
signeenamed a McDonald’s All-American.
Justin Edwards, Imhotep Institute Charter High School, SF, Kentucky
Edwards is part of Kentucky’s No. 1 recruiting class. He will see his future teammates in the game in five-star point guard D.J. Wagner and five-star center Aaron Bradshaw, who both played for Camden High School in N.J. Wagner and Bradshaw will play on the East team. Reed Sheppard is also committed to Kentucky, who is a four-star shooting guard out of London, Ky., and will play on the West team. Kentucky coach John Calipari last won a national championship during the 2012 season. Kentucky was eliminated by Kansas State last week, falling to the Wildcats 75-69 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.