Two Arizona basketball recruits have been selected to the prestigious McDonald’s All-America team, the first time since 2007 that a future Wildcat has been so honored.
Forwards Grant Jerrett and Brandon Ashley made the 12-player West squad for the McDonald’s game, which will be played March 28 at the United Center in Chicago.
They are part of Arizona’s top-ranked recruiting class, which also includes 7-footer Kaleb Tarczewski and guard Gabe York, two more national top 50 recruits. Tarczewski, in fact, is rated No. 5 by ESPN.
He very well could have earned McDonald’s All-America honors, but Tarczewski wasn’t eligible because he was recently reclassified as a fifth-year senior, according to the Arizona Daily Star’s Bruce Pascoe.
York, rated 36th by ESPN, missed time this season after an appendectomy and a two-game suspension for playing in an unauthorized game.
For what it’s worth, Jerrett and Ashley will give Arizona a McDonald’s All-American on the roster for the first time since 2008-09, when Chase Budinger was a junior.
Does it matter?
Consider that since 1979, only one team has won the national championship without having a McDonald’s All-American on its roster. That was Maryland in 2002. McDonald’s has sponsored an All-American team since 1977.
Arizona, which has a scholarship to give because of the transfer of center Sidiki Johnson, is one of six schools in the mix for 6-6 Shabazz Muhammad of Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. Muhammad, rated the No. 2 player in the nation by ESPN, told ESPNU on Thursday afternoon that he is likely to announce a decision in April.
Here is a list of McDonald’s All-Americans who have played at Arizona, including transfers:
Player | Year | High School |
---|---|---|
Craig McMillan | 1984 | Coverdale, Coverdale, Ca. |
Sean Elliott | 1985 | Cholla, Tucson |
Brian Williams | 1987 | St. Monica Catholic, Santa Monica, Ca. |
Chris Mills | 1988 | Fairfax, Los Angeles |
Khalid Reeves | 1990 | Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. |
Ben Davis | 1991 | Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. |
Mike Bibby | 1996 | Shadow Mountain, Phoenix |
Loren Woods | 1996 | Cardinal Ritter College Prep, St. Louis |
Richard Jefferson | 1998 | Moon Valley, Phoenix |
Jason Gardner | 1999 | North Central, Indianapolis |
Hassan Adams | 2002 | Westchester, Los Angeles, Ca. |
Mustafa Shakur | 2003 | Friends Central, Wynnewood, Pa. |
Jawann McClellan | 2004 | Charles H. Milby, Houston |
Chase Budinger | 2006 | La Costa Canyon, Carlsbad, Ca. |
Jerryd Bayless | 2007 | St. Mary’s, Phoenix |
Grant Jerrett | 2012 | Lutheran, La Verne, Calif. |
Brandon Ashley | 2012 | Findley Prep, Henderson, Nev. |
Note: Two other McDonald’s All-Americans signed with Arizona but went straight to the pros – Ndudi Ebi (2002 All-American) and Brandon Jennings (2008).