The 2023 list of McDonald’s All-Americans is out. Which UK basketball recruits made it?
Of all the accolades that will be bestowed onto the members of Kentucky men’s basketball’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class, few come with the allure of being named a McDonald’s All-American.
That title now belongs to four of UK’s five incoming freshmen for next season.
On Tuesday afternoon, the 2023 class of boys’ and girls’ McDonald’s All-Americans was announced, with Aaron Bradshaw, Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard and DJ Wagner all earning the honor.
UK’s other 2023 signee, guard Robert Dillingham, is not eligible to be named a McDonald’s All-American because he is part of Overtime Elite, a professional league for high school players. Dillingham is forgoing a salary in the league to retain his college eligibility.
Kentucky’s four selections are more than any other men’s program for 2023.
No 2023 UK women’s basketball recruits were selected.
The selections of Bradshaw, Edwards, Sheppard and Wagner to the McDonald’s All-American Team continue UK men’s basketball’s tradition of being well represented at the event, which will take place March 28 at the Toyota Center in Houston.
The girls’ game will be at 6:30 p.m. and broadcast on ESPN2 and the boys’ game will immediately follow on ESPN at 9 p.m.
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament Final Four will also be played in Houston on April 1 and April 3.
Last year, the McDonald’s Games were played in Chicago. It was the first time since 2019 that the games were played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since John Calipari took over the UK program in 2009, Kentucky has now signed 44 McDonald’s All-Americans out of high school.
This is more than any other school in the country during the same time period.
Since the game began in 1977, Kentucky has signed 76 McDonald’s All-Americans. Current Wildcats Daimion Collins (2021), Chris Livingston (2022) and Cason Wallace (2022) were all named McDonald’s All-Americans.
While the 2023 recruiting class as a whole isn’t considered particularly strong, having four players in the class all named McDonald’s All-Americans and going to the same school is a rare occurrence.
In 2013, Calipari brought six McDonald’s All-Americans to Lexington (Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee, Julius Randle, James Young). In 2017, that number was five (Quade Green, Kevin Knox, Nick Richards, Jarred Vanderbilt, P.J. Washington).
Kentucky’s 2012 national title team featured six players who were named McDonald’s All-Americans as high schoolers: Freshmen Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague and Kyle Wiltjer, and sophomores Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb.
All four players in UK’s 2023 class that were named McDonald’s All-Americans were in action recently at the prestigious Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Calipari, along with associate coach Orlando Antigua and assistant coach Chin Coleman, were there watching the quartet play, a spontaneous decision for all three men to go together right after Kentucky’s potentially season-saving win at Tennessee.
“To see guys that you’re excited about coaching and to see where you could take them, see what they’re doing, see what they add, what they bring to the table, is exciting,” Coleman said Monday. “So it was a good opportunity for us to get away and see those guys play.”
Sheppard puts Kentucky high schools back on All-American map
By being named a McDonald’s All-American, Reed Sheppard becomes the first boys’ player from a Kentucky high school to receive the honor since Chane Behanan (Bowling Green) in 2011.
Sheppard also becomes a rare McDonald’s All-American from a non-Lexington or Louisville high school in Kentucky.
Here’s the complete list of high school boys’ players from Kentucky to be named a McDonald’s All-American (the game began in 1977):
▪ Reed Sheppard (2023-North Laurel)
▪ Chane Behanan (2011-Bowling Green)
▪ Scotty Hopson (2008-University Heights Academy)
▪ Carlos Hurt (2001-Moore)
▪ Jason Osborne (1993-Male)
▪ Dwayne Morton (1990-Central)
▪ Allan Houston (1989-Ballard)
▪ Rex Chapman (1986-Apollo)
▪ Tony Kimbro (1985-Seneca)
▪ Winston Bennett (1983-Male)
▪ Manuel Forrest (1981-Moore)
▪ Dirk Minniefield (1979-Lafayette)
▪ Jerry Eaves (1978-Ballard)
▪ Vince Taylor (1978-Tates Creek)
▪ Jeff Lamp (1977-Ballard)
McDonald’s All-American Boys’ Roster
East team: Xavier Booker (Michigan State), Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky), Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite), Stephon Castle (UConn), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Kwame Evans (Oregon), Aden Holloway (Auburn), Elmarko Jackson (Kansas), Mackenzie Mgbako (Duke), Sean Stewart (Duke), DJ Wagner (Kentucky), Cody Williams (Colorado).
West team: Omaha Biliew (Iowa State), Isaiah Collier (USC), Mookie Cook (Oregon), Baye Fall (Arkansas), Jeremy Fears (Michigan State), Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), Ron Holland (Texas), Bronny James (not committed or signed), Jared McCain (Duke), Reed Sheppard (Kentucky), Andrej Stojakovic (Stanford), Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor).
No UK women’s recruits named All-Americans
Kentucky women’s basketball has only one signee in the class of 2023: Jordy Griggs, a wing who plays at Montverde (Fla.) Academy.
Griggs was one of six Montverde players nominated to become McDonald’s All-Americans, but Griggs didn’t make the final list.
Griggs is currently not ranked in ESPN’s top 100 recruits in 2023.
There are no high school girls’ players from Kentucky ranked among ESPN’s top 100 recruits in the class of 2023.
McDonald’s All-American Girls’ Roster
Kamorea Arnold (UConn), Sofia Bell (Oregon), Madison Booker (Texas), Zoe Brooks (North Carolina State), Addyson Brown (Iowa State), Essence Cody (Alabama), Breya Cunningham (Arizona), Aalyah Del Rosario (LSU), Jadyn Donovan (Duke), Milaysia Fulwiley (South Carolina), Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Kymora Johnson (Virginia), Tessa Johnson (South Carolina), Amanda Muse (UCLA), Riley Nelson (Maryland), Courtney Ogden (Stanford), Laila Reynolds (Florida), Emma Risch (Notre Dame), Taliah Scott (Arkansas), Ashlynn Shade (UConn), Judea Watkins (USC), Jada Williams (Arizona), Mikaylah Williams (LSU), Sahara Williams (Oklahoma).
