In a competitive match up the East squad was able to come back to defeat the West 88-86 in the 2024 McDonald’s All American game. Here is a look at the top prospects from the West.
Dylan Harper 6-5 200 G (Ramsey, NJ) Don Bosco Preparatory *Rutgers
(22 points 5 assists 0 turnovers 1 steal 1 block)
A (co-) MVP performance from Harper will only help to build on the momentum of hype he has heading into Rutgers next season as a consensus top 5 recruit. He is as polished a young player as they come as a 6’5 200 PG/SG, being able to make an impact as a scorer, playmaker and defensive wizard. He made some really well-timed passes and showed excellent decision-making, knowing when to look for his own offense and when to get teammates involved. Defensively he played with more intensity than you’d expect from such a heralded prospect in an All-star game setting, notably picking up a quick-handed steal on Jalil Betha as he was bringing the ball upcourt. It was obviously a standout performance from a player who will be tasked with being an impact player as soon as he gets to Piscataway in the coming months.
VJ Edgecombe 6-4 190 G (Bimini, The Bahamas) Long Island Lutheran *Baylor
(9 points 5 rebounds 2 blocks 5 turnovers) : SG
Edgecombe made a number of highlight plays on both ends of the court and is as explosive an athlete as you’ll find in this ’24 class. His 1st step is blazing quick. He really is an exciting high flyer who competes hard and he will be a force in transition and as a defensive player as he keeps leveling up given his twitchy athleticism, pure speed and quickness. Both of his blocks jumped off the screen, just crazy displays of athleticism. Physically, he is wiry strong at 6’4 190 and has the frame to keep packing on muscle. His skill set as far as shooting and ball-handling also looked decent and as if they should only keep improving. Scott Drew has a very fun and exciting player and a potentially special talent on his hands with the blossoming Edgecombe coming in.
Ace Bailey 6-8 210 F (Powder Springs, GA) McEachern *Rutgers
(6 points 5 rebounds 2 assists 5 turnovers) :
It was mostly a forgettable performance offensively that contrasted that of his future Rutgers teammate for Bailey, but the talent and physical tools are still very evident. Bailey can get off just about any shot he wants on the perimeter at around 6’10 and has the high release and confidence to make defenders pay as well, but he perhaps leaned too much into that and didn’t convert on most of his attempts. Still, you can see amazing flashes of athleticism and NBA-caliber moves that he’s able to string together as an isolation player or when he’s operating the mid-post. He also is a very good defensive player, particularly off the ball, with nice instincts and the ability to erase his teammates mistakes as a rangy helpside defender; where his length makes slashers think twice before challenging him near the rim. Tightening up his shot selection and continuing to polish his skills to maximize his efficiency will be important for him, but the groundwork is there for him to potentially be another tall, high-scoring wing prospect with good defensive potential, in the mold of a Paul George or more recently Brandon Miller.
Tre Johnson 6-6 185 G (Dallas, TX) Link Academy *Texas
(17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers)
Johnson had a great performance, particularly in the 2nd half, looking comfortable with the ball in his hands. He made 5 3-point shots and they all were mostly created off the dribble, taking advantage of any moments when defenders didn’t stay attached to him. Impressive tip-slam dunk on a missed shot displayed his leaping ability. He plays with live energy and has some good quickness to him as a wiry 6’6 SG, and also showed some nice timing as a passer with multiple assists by way of hit-ahead passes that rewarded teammates for running the floor before the defense could get back. I was impressed with his competitiveness on the defensive end too. A consensus 5-star recruit who is committed to Texas, Johnson will be a welcomed addition in Austin as they look to replace Max Abmas & Tyrese Hunter’s production in the backcourt.
Flory Bidunga 6-10 210 C (Kinshasa, DRC) Kokomo *Kansas
(6 points 6 rebounds 1 steal 1 block)
Bidunga is a long, late-blooming 6’10 C who looked good finishing plays after being rewarded for running the floor with purpose. He clearly is a springy athlete who should be able to make quite an impact as a shot-blocker for Bill Self at Kansas. His skill level and feel for the game are a work in progress. He is someone who you must account for near the rim on both ends of the court. Green and still developing physically and with his floor game, but just scratching the surface of his potential
Karter Knox 6-6 180 G (Tampa, FL) Overtime Elite Academy *Kentucky
(9 points 1 reb in 12 minutes)
Came in with the intention to score and that’s exactly what he did in his solid limited court time. The younger brother of former Kentucky forward Kevin Knox is known to be pretty skilled player as a 6’5 bucket getter, and he made some nice shots operating in the mid-range area, even sticking a transition 3. He recently decommitted from Kentucky after John Calipari left the program for Arkansas.
Derrion Reid 6-7 200 F (Grovetown, GA) Prolific Prep *Alabama
(4 points 5 rebounds 2 turnovers
Reid is a rangy 6’9 frontcourt player with great length and athletic ability, and he did a solid job on the glass and being switchable and tough defensively. His skill level is a bit behind his athleticism, and he will disappear at times offensively, but Reid can be a factor by running the floor for easy shots at the basket, rebounding and being versatile defensively which is what the Alabama commit did in limited time this game. He also has the potential to initiate transition offense after rebounding missed shots, and even though he’s on the thinner side right now he has the frame to keep putting on significant muscle. It will be interesting to see the strides his perimeter game makes in the future because some think he may be able to eventually play on the wing more.
Donnie Freeman 6-7 190 F (Washington, D.C.) IMG Academy *Syracuse
(6 points 2 rebounds 12 minutes)
A thin, smooth 6’9 guy who looked like a modern positionless basketball player in his limited time on the court, Freeman hit 2 3-pointers and was open a few other times but didn’t get rewarded. He didn’t get to show his full arsenal and wasn’t particularly assertive in this All-Star setting, but his versatility on both ends of the court has been spoken highly of, and his shot looked fluid and soft. He will need to put on muscle and keep developing, but there is some untapped potential for the Syracuse commit to round out his interesting tools.
Zoom Diallo 6-3 180 G (Tacoma, WA) Prolific Prep *Washington
(2 assists 1 rebound 1 steal 3 turnovers)
Pretty forgettable performance for Diallo who struggled with ball security; including a live-ball turnover that led to a runout dunk for Cooper Flagg. You can see that he’s a taller pass-first type PG at around 6’4 who likes to drive and dish, and he did set up some baskets but missed on a couple off the dribble middys. He seems a bit raw offensively but his floor vision and handle are promising. He’s currently a Washington Huskies commit but there has been uncertainty that he’s firmly committed with them.
Carter Bryant 6-8 220 F (Fountain Valley, CA) Centennial *Arizona
(2 points 3 rebounds 3 blocks 1 assist 2 turnovers)
Bryant chipped in in multiple facets of the game and made a mid-range jumper when chased off the 3-point line on one occasion, which is a strength of his. He also had a few really nice defensive possessions including a closeout block on a 3-point shooter that stood out. His size is a plus at a strong 6’8 and though he had some miscues creating for himself, he seems like he’ll be fine playing on the perimeter in college. He didn’t seem flashy but he was active, and showed a mature type of game and the foundation of good skills and on-court awareness.
Aiden Sherrell 6-11 220 C Detroit, MI) Prolific Prep *AlabamaÂ
(2 rebounds 3 blocks 1 turnover)
At 6’10 with a really promising frame, Sherrell is long with quick leaping skills and developing ability to face the rim and shoot, but he didn’t show much of the latter in this game due to limited minutes and some foul trouble. What he did show was very good rim protection and shot-blocking instincts; including the strong stalemate block of a post-up scoring attempt and a layup attempt by Boogie Fland that got swatted into the crowd. Him and Derrion Reid could potentially be a terror of a defensive tandem for Alabama next season with their length and athleticism in the frontcourt. His skill level seems to be a work in progress and he’s growing, but there are a good amount of tools to work with.
Trent Perry 6-4 180 G (North Hollywood, CA) Harvard-Westlake *Uncommitted
(5 points 1 turnover in 12 minutes)
Perry was pretty inconspicuous in this setting but you can see that he’s a solid basketball player who makes winning plays. He’s a taller PG with some ability to slide to the 2, but he is unselfish and stuck a 3-pointer in the game too. He’s not particularly impressive from a physical or athletic standpoint other than his height being good for a lead guard, but he is efficient in his movements, handles the ball well and a steady decision-maker. He decommitted from Southern Cal during the preparation week of the game and will be sought after by schools around the country.
