2013 McDonald’s All-American Game: Future stars on display in Chicago

CHICAGO -- Starting lineup introductions at the United Center are one of the most quintessential Chicago sports experiences, right up there with a warm summer day at Wrigley Field and the raucous rendition of the national anthem that’s become a calling card at every Blackhawks home game. The lights go down, the Alan Parsons Project comes on, and suddenly it feels like you’re back in the ‘90s again listening to Ray Clay say “From North Carooooolina, at guard! , 6’6.....”

That changed at Wednesday’s 2013 McDonald’s All-American Game. The UC turned down the lights and used the same music for the high school kids, and the result was the most memorable moment of the week. When Simeon’s Jabari Parker was the final player announced, the United Center roared like it hasn’t for a basketball star since the last time they called Rose’s name:

Up double-digits, it seems the West team in the McDonald’s High School All American Game simply went out with the goal to finish the game making as many showy passes that led to nothing as possible.

I’ll just describe one of the passes as an example. It was a two-handed no-look backwards between-the-legs mid-air pass in the paint with multiple defenders right behind the player. Duh, it was a turnover.

High school basketball’s best players will be on display Wednesday night in Chicago, where they’ll take part in the 36th annual McDonald’s All-American Game. In the past, the contest has featured such future NBA stars as Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Isiah Thomas, amongst many others.

For fans hoping to check out the next wave of professional stars, action starts at 9:30 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on ESPN. It will also be streamed live on ESPN3.com as well.

Those six players highlight what many consider to be the greatest high school class ever assembled. All six are rated amongst the top 18 players in ESPNU’s Top 150, and five are in the top 11. That includes the nation’s top-ranked point guard (Houston-area guard Andrew Harrison), the top-ranked shooting guard (Andrew’s twin brother Aaron), the top-ranked power forward (Dallas’ Julius Randle) and the nation’s No. 1 ranked center, too, Dakari Johnson of Brooklyn.

What’s scary for the rest of college basketball though, is that John Calipari is still actively recruiting the nation’s No. 1 ranked overall player, forward Andrew Wiggins. The 6’7 Wiggins is strongly considering Kentucky along with Florida State, Kansas and North Carolina as well.