McD's All-American Game on ESPN Wed 6:30pm

by xapis828 on Mar 25, 2008 3:38 PM PDT Comment 13 comments

I don't think this has been mentioned yet on BN, so I figured I'd bring it up in case anyone's interested...

While all of us here at Bruins Nation are eagerly awaiting Thursday night's Sweet 16 matchup vs. Western Kentucky, there will be some UCLA-related basketball action to tide us over on Wednesday night with the 2008 McDonald's All-American Game, which will be airing live on ESPN at 6:30pm Pacific time. This year's game will be featuring UCLA-bound guards Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee on the West team, as well as other future Pac-10 players Brandon Jennings (point guard, Arizona), Demar DeRozan (wing forward, USC), and Michael Dunigan (center, Oregon). Greg Monroe is also on the West team roster, and if I remember correctly, he was considering coming to UCLA during his recruitment period before eventually committing to Georgetown.

I think it will be exciting to see Jrue and Malcolm play, especially with all I've heard about how Jrue is the most athletic guard to come to UCLA since Baron Davis. I also got a chance to meet all four of our class of 2008 commits when they were on campus the weekend of the football game vs. Cal in the fall, and they seem like really good kids. I also met Jrue's mom, who was very gracious, and who seemed pretty amused that I was asking her 17-year-old son to sign a jersey for me.

More info on ESPN.com

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Just saw this on the ESPN high school bball site

While Demar DeRozan (going to SUC) won the dunk contest and Larry Drew (going to UNC) won the 3point shooting contest, Jrue and Malcolm proved that they will be winners where individual flash isn't necessary:

"Mar. 25
Jrue Holiday and Nnemkadi Ogwumike win McDonald's team-ball title

Future UCLA Bruin Jrue Holiday and Stanford-bound Nnemkadi Ogwumike nabbed the team-ball title at Monday's Powerade Jam Fest. The event matches a member of the boys McDonald's All-American squad with one from the girls team. The duo's final round score of 35 points upended Malcolm Lee and Nikki Speed."

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/briefingroom?playerId=42885

by blinkshot on Mar 25, 2008 6:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Out of Curiousity

Which particular skills are required to excel in this competition?

by snorkeldorf on Mar 25, 2008 6:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jrue

I ran into Jrue while I was a attending a workshop at Campbell Hall. My impression of him is that he is very cordial and approachable (just like the current Bruins). He was waiting for the bus to take the team to the state finals and he seemed very relaxed.

I believe that he is the athletic shooting guard-small forward that we have been looking for, who can create his own shot and make his teammates better. Our backcourt with be deep and strong next year. Jrue-the next D-Wade?

by UCLA Champions Made Here on Mar 25, 2008 6:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

lets hope

for more from him down the line than a d-wade comparison...maybe im just a hater, but i prefer the baron davis comparisons better than d wade. Baron literally goes 110% percent on every possession of every game. He's a selfless player, who still can take over a game. I'm hoping he'll be what baron could of been without lizard as his coach, which is a player with a tough work ethic on BOTH sides of the ball and a belief that you can go all the way.

And hey, you never where the next kobe might come from, way too early to even suggest that though lol.

O.A.

by Ollie on Mar 25, 2008 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's my favorite thing about Jrue

He has the body of a great 2-guard, but he has the mentality and skills of a PG, which is the position he will play both for the Bruins and in the pros.

by dprodigy19 on Mar 26, 2008 1:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mickey D's

On another note, Duke has 8 McDonald's All-Americans on their roster and we have 2- Love & Keefe.

Obviously, stockpiling on "stars" does not make a complete team.

Go Bruins!

by UCLA Champions Made Here on Mar 25, 2008 6:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I read a really good article at the WWL

On Duke's decline and the history of McDonald All Americans. I'm sorry I don't have the link. Anyway, two things I found very interesting: One was a history of McDonald All Americans that do not meet expectations when they reach the college ranks. I don't have the numbers, but it was sobering. The next was an examination of Duke's All Americans. While they have not all been dissapointments, many have also not reached superstar status.

The implication was that maybe it was the number of McDonald's All Americans on Duke's roster that have contributed to Duke's decline.

I really really wish I had that link now.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Mar 25, 2008 8:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read the same thing

I think it was written by stewart mendal (? spelling) in SI.com.

To Victory; or, until next year!

by ncrpz2 on Mar 25, 2008 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes it was Stewart Mandel on SI.com

Here's the link:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/02/21/duke/index.html

Its actually pretty refreshing to see someone be critical of the whole Duke mystique.

by FUSC on Mar 26, 2008 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's some great excerpts

(sorry I can't do the pretty block quotes with the blue background--I'm just not that talented when it comes to this stuff)

"With all the hype that perennially surrounds Duke's program -- the lofty rankings, the seemingly endless national-television appearances (including 27 this regular season), the weekly on-air love-fest from Mike Patrick and Dick Vitale -- one might assume the Blue Devils to be college basketball's most dominant program."

Getting fat on McDonald's
A widely held assumption among college basketball followers is that Duke, being Duke, basically gets its choice of the nation's top recruits every year. How do we know this? Because Duke always signs the most McDonald's All-Americans.

Currently, there are eight McDonald's alums on the Blue Devils' roster. That's right -- eight. The next-closest team, North Carolina, has five.

The rate of pro success for Duke's McDonald's alums is significantly lower than that of all others during the same time period (see chart, below), which begs the question: Did Duke recruit these players because they were good enough to be McDonald's All-Americans, or did many of them become McDonald's All-Americans simply because Duke was recruiting them?

AND THE BEST FORESHADOWING EVER...

"Taking all of the aforementioned data into account, it would seem the common theme among Duke's recent teams is that they spend most of the season playing above themselves. Krzyzewski certainly deserves credit for adapting each year to the personnel on hand and maximizing their talent, but eventually the gas runs out and/or they get exposed by more talented teams -- the very kind of teams they avoid playing early in the season."

by FUSC on Mar 26, 2008 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs