McDonald’s Unveils Final Rosters And Coaches For 2019 All American Games

January 24, 2019

Forty-eight high school seniors will take to the court as All Americans on March 27 in Atlanta

Today, McDonald’s announced the final team rosters for the 42nd annual McDonald’s All American Games, continuing to impact hoops culture through its investment in the next generation of basketball stars. Forty-eight high school seniors – comprising the top 24 boys and 24 girls in the country – were democratically selected from over 800 nominated players by a committee of basketball experts and will join a prestigious and historic legacy on Wednesday, March 27, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster or the State Farm Arena box office. 

Final Roster Details

The 2019 McDonald’s All American Boys teams feature the country’s top talent hailing from 17 different states. The Boys West Team includes Memphis-bound James Wiseman (East High School—TN) and a pair of players heading to Villanova, Bryan Antoine (Ranney School—NJ) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (IMG Academy—FL).  

The Boys East Team will be led by Vernon Carey, Jr. (NSU University School—FL), who will attend Duke in the fall. He will be joined by highly ranked Washington commit, Isaiah Stewart (La Lumiere School—NY) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (Center Grove High School—IN) who plans to suit up for Indiana next season. 

While five players are currently undecided about where they will take their talent next year, the college with the most committed All Americans representing this year’s Games is Duke with three followed by Florida, Villanova, Arizona and Kentucky with two each.

The 2019 Girls teams include four players from Ohio, the most represented state. The Girls West Team includes Ohio native and Ohio State-bound Kierstan Bell (McKinley High School—OH), highly ranked Haley Jones (Archbishop Mitty High School—CA), who has committed to Stanford and Jordyn Oliver (Prosper High School—TX), who will play at Baylor next season.

The Girls East Team will be led by top-ranked Tennessee recruit Jordan Horston (Columbus Africentric High School—OH). She will be joined by South Carolina-bound Aliyah Boston (Worcester Academy—MA) and Diamond Miller (Franklin High School—NJ), who has committed to play at Maryland. 

All players on both the East and West Teams have committed to college in the fall, but the schools with the most 2019 All Americans from the Girls Teams are South Carolina and Stanford with three girls each.

“The McDonald’s All American Games has a rich history of showcasing the nation’s top talent and paving the way for basketball greatness,” said Morgan Wootten, McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee Co-Chairman. “We’re very eager to return to Atlanta for the second consecutive year, giving fans the opportunity to once again see future basketball legends step on the court.”

“We’re proud to celebrate this huge accomplishment for every player and are excited to watch how they continue to grow throughout their basketball career,” said Joe Wootten, McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee Co-Chairman.

Since 1978, over 1,400 players have competed in the McDonald’s All American Games.

They form an elite group of some of the top names in basketball history, including Magic

Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Elena Delle Donne and Breanna Stewart. Alumni include current college standouts Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett of Duke and Katie Lou Samuelson of UConn.

Coaches

Four high school coaches from different regions of the country will lead the Boys and Girls teams during this year’s Games:

  • Girls East Team Coach, Sue Phillips of Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA).
  • Girls West Coach, Lee Rogers of Arundel Senior High School (Gambrills, MD)
  • Boys East Team Coach, Ed Fritz of Blue Valley Northwest High School (Overland Park, KS) 
  • Boys West Team Coach, Kurt Keener of Gilbert Christian High School (Gilbert, AZ)

Ticket Sales and Viewing Options

Tickets for the 2019 McDonald’s All American Games are available via Ticketmaster or the State Farm Arena box office.

ESPN2 will broadcast both All American Games live on Wednesday, March 27. The 18th annual Girls Game will air at 5 p.m. ET and the 42nd annual Boys Game immediately follows at 7 p.m. ET. The Boys Game will also feature a special halftime performance, not aired on ESPN2.

Games Week kicks off on Sunday, March 24, with Fan Fest, a free community event from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park. Local fans can join in for family-fun McDonald’s All American activities, delicious McDonald's food and dynamic musical performances.

On Monday, March 25, fans can tune into EPSN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET to witness All Americans showcase their skills during the annual POWERADE Jam Fest. From the 3-point contest to the dunk competition, POWERADE Jam Fest is a renowned test of skill for the best high school basketball players across the country. Fans can check out the event at Wheeler High School by ordering tickets here.

For this year, proud sponsors of the 2019 McDonald’s All American Games include adidas, Coca-Cola®, POWERADE® and Sprite®.

Staying Connected

In addition to investing in the future of basketball, McDonald’s is committed to investing in the future of its employees through Archways to Opportunity ®. This program has increased education access for eligible U.S. McDonald’s employees by providing an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront college tuition assistance, access free education advising services and learn English as a second language. In 2018 alone, many Atlanta area crew members have been given the chance to continue on their educational journey*.

The McDonald’s All American Games will also continue to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) through its network of local Chapters. At RMHC, programs like the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® provide comfort and compassion to families with sick children so they are fully supported® and able to be a part of their children’s care.

@McDAAG

Get in the Game by following the McDonald’s All American Games on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive access to players. Follow @McDAAG to receive up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the 2019 Games, including key announcements, local player/coach recognitions, fan giveaways and historical Games facts and figures.

About McDonald’s USA

McDonald's USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. Customers can now log online for free at approximately 11,500 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation that creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through its global network of over 275 Chapters in more than 64 countries and regions, and its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, RMHC helps families with sick children stay together, and close to the medical care their child needs at leading hospitals worldwide. RMHC programs not only provide access to quality health care, they enable family-centered care ensuring families are fully supported and actively involved in their children’s care. For more information, visit rmhc.org. Follow @RMHC on Twitter, FacebookInstagram and LinkedIn.

*Most McDonald’s restaurants are operated by independent franchisees who are independent employers, and set their own employment policies and practices, including pay and benefits for the people working in their restaurants. McDonald's does not control the independent franchisees’ employment policies and practices and does not employ those working at franchised restaurants. The benefits described here are available at McDonald’s-owned restaurants and the restaurants of participating franchisees.

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