Prospects say the perceptions that come along with the big stage adds to the already mounting pressure.
CHICAGO – Anthony Black can vividly recall watching in awe as Emmanuel Mudiay obliterated the competition at local tournaments in the Dallas area in 2014. Mudiay was a consensus top five prospect with a who’s who list of colleges drooling at the thought of landing him and, ultimately, he was picked for the McDonald’s All American Game that year.
“I remember thinking as a young kid at the time that when he made the McDonald’s game he was definitely going to the NBA,” Black said. “Being young, that’s just the way you think.”
Fast forward eight years and Black has learned that lofty expectations associated with suiting up for the game with the golden arches transcends age.
In January, Black was one of 24 players picked to suit up for this year’s game, which will commence Tuesday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, and, immediately, he felt the subtle NBA shoo-in energy throughout the community.
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“It’s such a prestigious game, people just feel like it’s definitely gonna happen for you,” said Black, a point guard at Duncanville (Texas) who is ranked No. 12 overall in the SI99.
In Mudiay’s case, Black was right.
Mudiay skipped college and played professionally in China for a year before being selected No. 7 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
Still, the numbers make Mudiay more the exception than the norm.
In last year’s NBA Draft, just 12 of the 60 picks across two rounds were former McDonald’s All Americans.
“It’s definitely not a guarantee,” said Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) shooting guard M.J. Rice, a Kansas signee who is ranked No. 7 overall in the SI99. “But because of that it adds pressure on you. By now, I’ve learned not to worry about other people’s expectations for me, but they definitely go up when you make it here.”
Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) forward Mark Mitchell agrees that the pressure is heightened but stops short of carrying the weight of it.
Instead, Mitchell, a Duke signee, has remained fully present to experience what he called “a dream cone true.”
“You have to block that stuff out and just remember that you’re here and it’s a blessing,” said Mitchell, who is ranked No. 18 overall in the SI99. “We all want to go to the league, but this isn’t a time to worry about that. This isn’t something you want to look back on and say you were overthinking it. I’m just having fun with everything.”
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That’s the approach Boston Celtics wing Jayson Tatum took during his time as a McDonald’s All American in 2016.
Tatum certainly felt the increase in expectations after the McDonald’s appointment, but proactively blocked out the anxiety to live up to the hype and turned in a dominant 18-point, five rebound performance in the game.
“I embraced it,” said Tatum, now a three-time NBA All-Star. “I looked at it as an honor to be in this game. There are various reasons why certain guys don’t pan out; it could be an injury or, honestly, it could be the college they chose not being the right fit. Everyone has a different path, and that’s OK. Just gotta have fun with it.”
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That said, while the game may be mostly about carefree fun and highlights, McDonald’s practices have traditionally had more of a business vibe with the vast majority of NBA teams represented on the north end of the courts analyzing each prospects every move.
McDonald’s practices are one of the few events throughout the year where most of the NBA teams can scout top high school prospects in one place.
And therein lies the more intelligible pressure.
“It’s a big opportunity,” Mitchell said. “I’m just trying to show them what I can do in person. I’m aware that it can change your life if you perform well.”
Truth is, most of the players participating in the game believe that they have a realistic chance to be selected by one of the teams in the 2023 NBA Draft, or at the very least see it as the goal.
Makes sense since half of the first round picks in last year’s draft were one-and-done players; 10 of those players were former McDonald’s All Americans.
As the top player in the SI99, Westtown School (West Chester, Penn.) center Dereck Lively is a strong one-and-done candidate. He said his only goal is to show NBA scouts how relentless he is on the court.
“I want them to see that after everything that I’ve done over the last year, I’m hungrier than I ever was,” said Lively, a Duke signee. “I’m never stopping. I’m always gonna outwork the next guy. I am always thinking of ways to get better.”
Sunrise Christian Academy wing Gradey Dick can relate there.
Dick will lead the top team in the SB Live/Power 25 boys basketball rankings into GEICO Nationals on Thursday and said his approach in McDonald’s practices and in the game will be the same one he implements in his pursuit of a national title.
“I’m gonna go as hard as I can at all times,” said Dick, a Kansas signee who is ranked No. 29 overall in the SI99. “We’ve all heard about how important the practices are at McDonald’s so everyone is gonna bring their A game. That’s the best part for me because I love competition.
"I feel like it’s the best way to elevate your game. Whatever happens after I do my best will just happen. That’s how you relieve whatever pressure you have, just go hard.”