Every year, I watch players in high school, stars in high school, and think to myself: “Damn, that kid is on his way to big things.” It’s always hard to sort out the truth from the phonies because at that level, all of them look like future beasts. This guy, he’s the next KG … This guy is the next Amar’e … He reminds me a lot of Tim Duncan. No one compares a high school All-American to Jason Collins or Delonte West or Ronnie Brewer.
That’s human nature. There will always be busts, and no McDonald’s All American class busted more than the one from 2002. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com recently wrote:
It was tabbed as one of the most powerful groups in years, stacked with just about everything you could ask for — talented big men, quality point guards, big-time shooters and athletic wings.
The McDonald’s All-American Class of 2002.
However, it’s a decade later and only a handful could be found occupying NBA rosters last season.
Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton, Chris Bosh and J.J. Redick.
Yes, that’s it.
“Are you serious?” Redick said when informed there were only five NBA guys. “That is nuts. No way.”
“Those numbers are alarming,” added former UNC star Sean May, who spent last year in Turkey. “We had one of the best high school classes ever.”
It serves as a cautionary tale to the youth of today, those who sit high atop the rankings and are coddled by coaches, shoe company executives as well as agents and runners.
The numbers are irrelevant.
And that McDonald’s game didn’t even include the class’ biggest bust of all – Lenny Cooke – because he was academically-ineligible.
Take a look at the classes for the next five years and how many NBA players they produced…keep in mind, the term “bust” is really only used in this instance for players who were expected to have impacts in the NBA.
2003 class: Brandon Bass, Aaron Brooks, Shannon Brown, Luol Deng, Kris Humphries, LeBron James, Travis Outlaw, Chris Paul, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, Mustafa Shakur, Charlie Villanueva, Von Wafer
busts: Ndudi Ebi, James Lang
-13 of the 24 players in the game are currently in the NBA.
2004 class: Corey Brewer, Rudy Gay, Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, Randolph Morris, J.R. Smith, Josh Smith, Sebastian Telfair, D.J. White, LaMarcus Aldridge, Arron Afflalo, Glen Davis, Jordan Farmar, Daniel Gibson, Shaun Livingston, Marvin Williams
busts: Jawan McClellan, Robert Swift, Malik Hairston, Mike Williams
-16 of the 24 players in the game are currently in the NBA
2005 class: Monta Ellis, Amir Johnson, Mario Chalmers, Julian Wright, Martell Webster, C.J. Miles, Jon Brockman, Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Louis Williams, Andrew Bynum, Josh McRoberts
busts: Tasmin Mitchell, Gerald Green, Eric Devendorf
-12 of the 24 players in the game are current in the NBA
2006 class: Ty Lawson, Mike Conley, Wayne Ellington, Thaddeus Young, Brandan Wright, Gerald Henderson, Greg Oden, Darrell Arthur, Kevin Durant, Sherron Collins, Daequan Cook, D.J. Augustin, Robin Lopez, Brook Lopez, Spencer Hawes, Chase Budinger
busts: Javaris Crittenton, Vernon Macklin
-16 of the 24 players in the game are currently in the NBA
2007 class: James Harden, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, James Anderson, Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless, Kyle Singler, Kevin Love, Cole Aldrich, J.J. Hickson, Jonny Flynn, Donte Greene, Nolan Smith, Gani Lawal, Kosta Koufos, O.J. Mayo, Patrick Patterson
busts: Taylor King
-18 of the 24 players in the game are currently in the NBA
2008 class: Al-Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Tyreke Evans, Kemba Walker, Elliot Williams, Luke Babbitt, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings, Greg Monroe, B.J. Mullens, Iman Shumpert, Samardo Samuels
busts: Samuels
-12 of the 24 players in the game are currently in the NBA
I will stop there. Just taking a look at some of the names under the “bust” label is surprising. Every one of them was picked to become impact NBA players. Some classes, like the 2007 and 2004 ones, were phenomenal. Others not so much.
Still, having gone through and looked at many of the rosters, the amount of legit NBA players far outweigh the absolute busts, which on one hand is a good thing. But on the other, it just makes the class of 2002 look incredibly underwhelming.
What McDonald’s All-American player disappointed you the most?
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