2007 McDonald's All-American Game

[abomb]

The 30th Annual McDonald's All-American Game takes place at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. on Wednesday, March 28 at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) and airs live on ESPN.

Here are the rosters;

East
Nick Calathes - 6'6" Guard, Florida
Johnny Flynn - 6'0" Guard, Syracuse
Austin Freeman - 6'5" Guard, Georgetown
Donte Greene - 6'9" Forward, Syracuse
JJ Hickson - 6'10" Forward, North Carolina State
Kosta Koufos - 7'1" Center, Ohio State
Gani Lawal - 6'9" Forward, Georgia Tech
OJ Mayo - 6'5" Guard/Forward, Southern California
Patrick Patterson - 6'8" Forward, Undecided
Nolan Smith - 6'3" Guard, Duke
Corey Stokes - 6'6" Forward, Villanova
Chris Wright - 6'1" Guard, Georgetown

West

Cole Aldrich - 6'11" Center, Kansas
James Anderson - 6'7" Guard/Forward, Oklahoma State University
Jerryd Bayless - 6'4" Guard, Arizona
Michael Beasley - 6'10" Forward, Kansas State University
Eric Gordan, 6'4" Guard, Indiana
Blake Griffin, 6'9" Forward, Oklahoma
James Harden, 6'5" Guard, Arizona State
Taylor King, 6'8" Guard/Forward, Duke
Kevin Love, 6'9" Forward, UCLA
Jai Lucas, 5'10" Guard, Undecided
Derrick Rose, 6'4" Guard, University of Memphis
Kyle Singler, 6'9" Forward, Duke

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[AZBALLER]

I can't wait to finally see Harden play live.

On a side note, my family and friends tailgate at ASU football games with Gary Ernst from Mountain View. He coached the West squad a few years back, when Lebron played for the east team. He talked about how crazy the media frenzy is there...

 

[bko32]

I can't wait to finally see Harden play live.

On a side note, my family and friends tailgate at ASU football games with Gary Ernst from Mountain View. He coached the West squad a few years back, when Lebron played for the east team. He talked about how crazy the media frenzy is there...

Don't expect too much out of Harden in this game. All-star games aren't made for a player like Harden. He's more of a hustle guy who plays really good defense and gets a lot of his points off of steals and turnovers. Plus he's playing on a west squad that's just absolutely loaded. I'm just hoping he gets in for at least 15 minutes.

 

[Russ Smith]

Don't expect too much out of Harden in this game. All-star games aren't made for a player like Harden. He's more of a hustle guy who plays really good defense and gets a lot of his points off of steals and turnovers. Plus he's playing on a west squad that's just absolutely loaded. I'm just hoping he gets in for at least 15 minutes.

I forget but the rule used to be they alternate the first half and then the coach can play whoever he wants the 2nd half.

But yes not really the type of game for a guy like Harden to excel since he won't have the ball that much.

If I had to lay odds on MVP's I'd say Mayo first, Derrick Rose 2nd, with a wildcard of Bayless since reports are he's been playing with a chip on his shoulder during the week.

 

[bko32]

I think Mayo is going to win the MVP this game. As much as I hate USC and would love to see Mayo have a horrible game, I think he's going to play great tonight.

From everything I've read, he's been DOMINATING practices. He's been able to do whatever he wants offensively against whomever is guarding him. I'm actually looking forward to see him and what the hype is all about.

BTW, word is that Bayless has been awesome in practice as well. Hopefully he'll get enough playing time to make a run at the MVP.

 

[nathan]

I really like Bayless. He doesn't have the strength of Rose, Mayo or Gordon, but he does have the best jump shot.

 

[Russ Smith]

I really like Bayless. He doesn't have the strength of Rose, Mayo or Gordon, but he does have the best jump shot.

Gordon is hurt so he'll play but apparently not much.

I haven't seen anything but clips on Bayless(no real games) but I'd be surprised if he's a better jump shooter than Mayo. Aside from all the off court issues the thing about Mayo that amazes me is his ability to shoot contested
jumpers. He just doesn't seem to care who is guarding him or how well he just goes up and knocks it down with a hand in his face.

Rose I've read his shot has improved a lot this year but I saw him on ESPN against Oak Hill and he has the same ugly form. I really like Gordon's game.

Bayless on tape is mainly going to the hole. Draft express says he gets the best elevation of anybody on his jumpshot but I haven't seen him shoot too many jumpers on the clips I've seen.

Mayo to me is the best player in the class, always has been. If Rose could shoot he'd be better because he's a better athlete and a better playmaker, but he can't shoot.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Kevin Love looks more like Jon Brockman or Hansbrough than the NBA center UCLA fans are suggesting he could be right now. Although he is awfully talented, I don't think Bruin fan has much to worry about him leaving next Summer barring a growth spurt.

Jerryd is ridiculous. No fear whatsoever on the court.

I can see why Herb Sendek was willing to bend over backwards for James Harden. The guy's a Julius Hodge clone.

Taylor King will be regarded as the best shooter in college basketball before he's finished although he will never shoot higher than 45% from three. Call it the Redick effect.

 

[Lefty]

Bayliss looks really good. I can't wait until next year. He will definitely better now than Shakur ever was at the UofA.

 

[Russ Smith]

Kevin Love looks more like Jon Brockman or Hansbrough than the NBA center UCLA fans are suggesting he could be right now. Although he is awfully talented, I don't think Bruin fan has much to worry about him leaving next Summer barring a growth spurt.

Jerryd is ridiculous. No fear whatsoever on the court.

I can see why Herb Sendek was willing to bend over backwards for James Harden. The guy's a Julius Hodge clone.

Taylor King will be regarded as the best shooter in college basketball before he's finished although he will never shoot higher than 45% from three. Call it the Redick effect.

You're reading the wrong UCLA boards. One of the hot discussions has been will Love play C or PF alongside Mata next year because he's not a pure C.

He can start at C in the pac 10 right now, he's nearly an inch taller than Mata who started at C on the conference champs this year, but he's likely not an NBA C.

What was with mayo jacking up 3's coming off the high pick with 2 guys covering him, he did it THREE times in the last 5 minutes of the game. Also took 2 shots behind the plane of the backboard one of which hit the backboard.

Beasley looked awfully good but that kind of game is perfect for him.

Bayless sure can jump, but I'd agree with the announcers he's not a pure PG but he can play. Gordon looked pretty good not sure what his injury was?

Rose's shot is a lot better than the last time I saw him.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

When people keep comparing him to Bill Walton, I couldn't help but think center. He's a helluva player, but more in the Hansbrough mold than Spencer Hawes which I was expecting.

Bayless ain't a PG yet, but neither was Shakur and at least I know Jerryd can score.

 

[Russ Smith]

When people keep comparing him to Bill Walton, I couldn't help but think center. He's a helluva player, but more in the Hansbrough mold than Spencer Hawes which I was expecting.

Bayless ain't a PG yet, but neither was Shakur and at least I know Jerryd can score.

True but it's NOT UCLA fans comparing him to Walton, at least none that I know of. People say he's the best bigman UCLA has had since Walton but that's not comparing to Walton. Most compare him to Wes Unseld or a bigger Sean May, great rebounder, great low post moves, better shooter than either of those guys but not a great athlete. He would have scored more but half the game he never crossed half court, he rebounded, outletted, and stayed back on defense.

Romar himself said that Love is a better player than Hawes, but they're different, hawes is 3 inches bigger and not nearly as strong. He's nothing like Hansbrough, the next 18 foot jumper Tyler makes will be his first, love can actually shoot out to the 3 although that's obviously not what UCLA will ask him to do.

They're both(love and bayless) going to be impact players.

I'm still laughing about mayo jacking up that I want to be the hero 3 at the end when he had 2 teammates wide open at the rim to send the game into OT. It's an all star game so who cares but that was pretty classic.

 

[bko32]

Kevin Love looks more like Jon Brockman or Hansbrough than the NBA center UCLA fans are suggesting he could be right now. Although he is awfully talented, I don't think Bruin fan has much to worry about him leaving next Summer barring a growth spurt.


I can see why Herb Sendek was willing to bend over backwards for James Harden. The guy's a Julius Hodge clone.

I suggest you watch a real game and then make a judgement on Love. These all-star games tend to showcase flashy guards and wing players because there's not a whole lot of structure.

Love's game is much more diverse than Hansbrough. Hansbrough is purely a banger and can't do much beyond 15ft. Love can bang plus he has some real nice finesse moves down low as well. He also has range out to the college 3 pt line. I don't know of anyone projecting Love to be an NBA center, but instead a PF. Right now, Love is already one of the best big men in the Pac 10 and probably UCLA's best big man, he's that good.

As for Harden, IMHO, he's nothing like Hodge. Hodge was a flat out scorer and tended to do most of his damage from jumpers. Also Hodge wasn't much of a defender either and he needed the ball in his hands to be effective. Harden is your typical slasher and hustle guy. He does all the little things that help his team and is very unselfish. He doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective and he's a very good man defender. Harden will do whatever is asked of him to help his team. He's also a great character guy, which can't be said for Hodge.

 

[HooverDam]

Damn it, I missed the game, luckily ESPN usually replays everything 20 times, so Ill probably end up seeing it.

How did Harden look? Sounds good from what people have written in this thread.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Not sure where I compared Hansbrough and Love's game, I just stated they looked similar in stature when I was expecting a true center ready to play in the NBA right now thanks to the Bill Walton talk. Love's an NBA power forward (unless he grows obviously) and I'm not sure he will be ready to contribute in the NBA at that position for a couple years. He has tremendous abilities and will probably be one of the best players in the Pac next year but he'd get abused right now if he tried to match up with NBA PF's.

And you obviously have a short memory if you think Julius Hodge was a one-dimensional shooter. His shooting was never that good and he rarely shot 3's, most of his production came from doing all the little things you say Harden does such as rebounding and dishing the ball. He also scored but most of his points came via slashing to the hoop. Hodge may have had his issues as a person, but he was a team guy and was very loyal to Herb Sendek and NC State. Harden definitely has the better shot though, I think Shakur learned his J from Hodge.

 

[AZBALLER]

So Mao, what you're saying is that Harden is the type of player that ua is going to recruit now? Forget about being the best athlete, just worry about playing an all around game and having a basketball IQ?

 

[Russ Smith]

Damn it, I missed the game, luckily ESPN usually replays everything 20 times, so Ill probably end up seeing it.

How did Harden look? Sounds good from what people have written in this thread.

I think it replays at 10am PST today.

Harden looked good but didn't get enough PT.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not sure where I compared Hansbrough and Love's game, I just stated they looked similar in stature when I was expecting a true center ready to play in the NBA right now thanks to the Bill Walton talk. Love's an NBA power forward (unless he grows obviously) and I'm not sure he will be ready to contribute in the NBA at that position for a couple years. He has tremendous abilities and will probably be one of the best players in the Pac next year but he'd get abused right now if he tried to match up with NBA PF's.

.

True as would every other kid in that game get abused by NBA PF's.

Love will give UCLA exactly what they needed as a low post scorer. One of my concerns on him all along has been his low release point inside, in HS you get away wtih that, in college he'll get shots blocked if he doesn't change that.

There was a play in this game where he got swatted by Patterson for that very reason. of course they showed the replay and Patterson's right hand got all ball but his left hand hit Love in the chest, Shoulder and then head but they don't call much in these games so it was play on. At least Love looked like he belonged, last year Keefe looked intimidated and it carried over most of the year until frankly the Pitt game.

I'll say it right now, the most overrated kid in that game is Gani Lawal going to Georgia Tech. They had him earlier in the year on in some HS tourney I saw and he had 2 baskets in the entire game that weren't dunks. He had nothing but dunks yesterday. That's the only 2 times I've seen him but college games are not no defense up and down AAU style games, and I've yet to see him show he can do anything but dunk. But they were raving about all his dunks and made him out to be a much better player than I think he will be.

 

[Russ Smith]

FYI there was a good mayo story from the game. after the game one of the players threw his sneakers into the crowd creating a mad scramble that got one younger kid injured.

Mayo heard about it, tracked the kid down, and gave him his game jersey autographed.

Nice gesture, they had a good blurb about Mayo being born 2 months premature and actually spending much of his first few weeks at the Ronald McDonald House when he was a kid(his mom got pregnant at 16 so she was quite poor) so apparently all the activities really hit home with Mayo.

Glad to hear that side of him and I hope it actually turns a light on for him.