This is one of Aaron Gordon’s nine dunks in the McDonald’s game. Photo by Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The McDonald’s All-American Game is more showcase than game, filled more with alley-oops than defense.

That said, it’s all good when the recruit of your favorite team is the one doing all the dunking.

Aaron Gordon, a 6-foot-8 forward who committed to Arizona on Tuesday, made Wildcats fans (even more) eager with anticipation after he led the West squad to a 110-99 victory and earned MVP honors at United Center in Chicago.

He scored 24 points, with nine of his 10 baskets coming on dunks.

“He dominates the game inside the arc,” Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s director of basketball recruiting, said on the telecast.

“He plays the game with high energy; one of the strongest, most explosive players in the class. What really opens your eyes about him is this kid competes with a constant effort, even when he doesn’t score.

“He’ll be one of the best finishers in the Pac-12, because he rises up, quick and high. He has body control to avoid the defenders and the strength to dunk over opponents.”

Gordon shot 10 of 17 from the field, adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 24 minutes. He did have one embarrassing moment when he missed an all-alone attempt at a dunk after going between his legs with the ball.

He’s been a power forward, and the big question as he arrives at Arizona is how well he can transition to the small forward position. If the Cats use a combination of Gordon, fellow McDonald’s All-American Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Brandon Ashley, they likely won’t get a lot of 3-point shooting from that spot.

Gordon admits in the video below that the consistency of his jump shot needs to improve. He needs to be on the Kyle Fogg shooting plan this summer, taking upwards of 40,000 jumpers. He’s not going to be getting nine dunks in a Pac-12 game.

“He’s got to improve on his outside shooting,” Biancardi said.

“Anything past the high post, he struggles with his jump shot. At the 3-point line, he has to work on the catch-and-shoot. But you put him inside 15 feet, he can dominate the action — posting up, driving to the basket, a lot of and-ones.

“And he’s a very good defender. He can defend the small forward, the power forward and even the center. He could be the x-factor for Arizona to get deep in the NCAA Tournament.”

Gordon started for the West squad. Hollis-Jefferson came off the bench for the East squad and scored nine points in 15 minutes.

The future Wildcats will get to further know each other when they compete against each other in the Jordan Brand Classic on April 13 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and when they serve as teammates for the U.S. squad at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 20.

ESPN INTERVIEW

RELATED

Arizona’s all-time McDonald’s All-Americans

For a photo of Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson together, click on over to my Facebook page.

ON TWITTER

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson knows who he is. Not a polished offensive player so he comes in and starts hawking the ball. Culture guy for Zona!

— Dave Telep (@DaveTelep) April 4, 2013

Aaron Gordon is a beast. That is all #Beardown

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) April 4, 2013

Congrats to future Arizona Wildcat Aaron Gordon on winning tonight’s @mcdonalds All American Game MVP! #ZonaAllDay

— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) April 4, 2013

Aaron Gordon prepares to make his announcement Tuesday. Photo via Twitter, @McDAAG

RELATED: Five-star recruit Aaron Gordon commits to the Arizona Wildcats

For the second consecutive season, Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller will be bringing in two McDonald’s All-Americans in the same recruiting class.

Miller signed Mickey D’s All-Americans Brandon Ashley and Grant Jerrett in last year’s recruiting class, and he added Aaron Gordon to the commitment list Tuesday morning after signing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the fall.

Until last season, Arizona had never brought in multiple McDonald’s All-Americans in the same class.

Hassan Adams and Ndudi Ebi each signed in the 2002 class, but Ebi went straight to the pros. Mike Bibby and Loren Woods were both McDonald’s All-Americans in 1996, but Woods didn’t arrive in Tucson until after his transfer from Wake Forest.

This is the 36th year of the McDonald’s All-American Game, and 21 players from the game have signed with or played at Arizona.

Here is the full list:

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).

Aaron Gordon commits to Arizona- wow, what a loaded front court! Sean Miller continues to get it done in Tucson. Great coach,great recruiter

— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerrTNT) April 2, 2013

Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller might have his problems with referees, but not with recruits.

In what could stand as the biggest offseason news for the program, five-star recruit Aaron Gordon announced his commitment to Arizona on Tuesday morning at Media Day for the McDonald’s All-American Game in Chicago.

Gordon, a power forward from San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty, committed to UA over Washington, Oregon and Kentucky.

Gordon (6-8, 215) is rated the nation’s fifth-best prospect by 247Sports, and the sixth-best recruit in the rankings by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Gordon joins a recruiting class that includes 6-5 guard Elliott Pitts and fellow McDonald’s All-American Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, a 6-7 wing known for his defense. Both signed letters of intent in the fall. Gordon can put his signature on a letter of intent when the spring signing period begins April 17.

He joins a loaded Arizona front line, but the presence of post players Kaleb Tarczewski, Brandon Ashley, Grant Jerrett, Angelo Chol and Matt Korcheck should happily move Gordon to the small forward spot at times, perhaps most of the time.

Gordon, the brother of former UCLA and New Mexico standout Drew Gordon, still has to improve his outside shot, but he’ll welcome time at the wing, which is where he’ll project to play in the NBA. He is said to the have the appropriate motor, energy, ball-handling and explosive athleticism to play at the 3.

Arizona, after losing Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom, could use a combination of Gordon, Hollis-Jefferson, Ashley and maybe Pitts at small forward. The long-term plan has been for Ashley to transition to the 3, and he talked after the Sweet 16 loss to Ohio State about working on his perimeter skills this summer in advance of seeing some time at small forward.

The starting backcourt is set with point guard T.J. McConnell and Nick Johnson, both juniors. The small forward spot looks well-covered now. And the big men all return. Cue the high expectations for 2013-14.

Jerry Meyer at 247Sports wrote that Gordon made the strongest impression at Monday’s practice for the McDonald’s game:

“Gordon repeatedly got wherever he wanted to get on the court with the dribble. He still prefers his right hand but was going to the left more often than in the past. Gordon’s finishing was hit or miss, but his athleticism is on a level that only Andrew Wiggins can match in the 2013 class. As his game tightens up, Gordon becomes more and more like a Shawn Marion type player or even better.”

(Watch the video at the top for the explosive dunks and highlight plays; check out the video at the bottom for more emphasis on his passing and basketball IQ.)

The McDonald’s game will take place Wednesday on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. Tucson time.

RELATED: Arizona’s all-time list of McDonald’s All-Americans

West coast wildcat #BearDown

— Aaron Gordon (@_AG_32) April 2, 2013

Rondae Jefferson has been selected to three prestigious all-star games. ESPN screenshot

The ESPN2 announcers couldn’t stop raving about Arizona Wildcats recruit Rondae Jefferson, who led his Chester (Pa.) High School team to victory in a highly anticipated game on Sunday.

“What everybody loves about RJ, he’s comfortable in his own skin,” game analyst Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s national director of recruiting, said during the telecast.

“He knows who he is: A great defender, finisher, rebounder. First thing he says before the game … ‘I have to work on my shooting. I have to get better at it from the outside. But I can dominate the game 15 feet and in.’

“He understands his weakness and he’s willing to work on it.”

Jefferson, a 6-7 forward, had 20 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three assists and one block as Chester beat Neumann-Goretti 58-41 in Aston, Pa. It was the first-ever meeting between the area powerhouses. Chester is the two-time defending Class AAAA state champ; Neumann-Goretti has won three consecutive Class AAA titles.

Arizona coach Sean Miller has been a little busy with his own team, saying Tuesday he didn’t get a chance to watch the game.

“A lot of people told me he played really well,” Miller said.

“I’m not surprised. He’s a terrific talent. One of the things that probably stands out when you watch him is he’s really talented on defense. He’s a guy who is 6-foot-7 and can do a lot of different things on defense. He will fit in as well on that side of the ball as he will on offense for us.”

Jefferson will be busy after the season.

The five-star recruit was selected to his third all-star game on Tuesday — the Jordan Brand Classic that will be held April 13 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Before that, he will play in the McDonald’s All-America Game on April 3 at the United Center in Chicago. And he also will be a part of the U.S. team that will take on an international squad at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 20.

“I think that says a lot about the talented player he is,” Miller said of the all-star selections.

Talented, yes, but you don’t always the word “defense” when elite prospects are discussed. Miller said that’s a product of Jefferson’s hard work and the area he comes from.

“Chester High School to me is one of the most feared high school basketball teams, certainly in that area of the country,” Miller said.

“Feared meaning they are tough to play against. They play man-to-man, they press, they win. Their high school is a really hard-nosed environment. … A lot of those intangibles that Rondae has comes from growing up in Chester and player for Chester High.”

Jefferson is rated the 17th-best prospect in the country in ESPN’s ranking. Arizona’s other signee, shooting guard Elliott Pitts from Concord (Calif.) De La Salle High, is 91st.

“Let’s not forget Elliott Pitts,” Biancardi said. “Sean Miller wants toughness; he gets it with Elliott Pitts and Rondae Jefferson.”

You can watch a replay of the game between Chester and Neumann-Goretti on ESPN.com

Rondae Jefferson dunks during the Nike Global Challenge in Alexandria, Va., this summer. Photo by Evan Habeeb-USA Today Sports.

The Arizona Wildcats will have a McDonald’s All-American for a second consecutive season.

UA signee Rondae Jefferson has been chosen to play in the prestigious McDonald’s game, according to a report on Philly.com, citing Chester High School athletic director Jeffery Legette.

The 24-player roster will be announced Feb. 14. The game is set for April 3 at the United Center in Chicago.

Jefferson also was recently selected to play in the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 20.

Jefferson, a 6-7 forward, would be the 18th McDonald’s All-American to play at the UA.

Herman Harris was the last high school All-American basketball player (pre-McDonald’s game) from Chester, Pa., in 1973. He, too, ended up at Arizona, averaging 12.5 points per game for his career and ranking 35th in career scoring.

Here is a list of McDonald’s All-Americans who have played at Arizona, including players who arrived via transfers:

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).

Related:

You might want to watch this dunk from Rondae Jefferson

Rondae Jefferson dunks during the Nike Global Challenge in Alexandria, Va., last summer. Photo by Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats basketball signee Rondae Jefferson was selected Sunday to the USA team that will take on an international squad in the Nike Hoop Summit.

The game will be played in Portland on April 20.

Jefferson, a 6-7 forward from Chester, Pa., is one of 10 elite high school seniors on the UA team. Also on the team is power forward Aaron Gordon, one of the Arizona’s top recruiting targets for the spring signing period.

The United States will take on a 19-and-under World Select Team. UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad scored 35 points in last year’s game, but the U.S. team lost 84-75. Arizona freshman Kaleb Tarczewski played for the U.S. team last year.

Here is the U.S. team, with college choice in parentheses:

F Aaron Gordon (undecided)
G Aaron Harrison (Kentucky)
G Andrew Harrison (Kentucky)
G Kasey Hill (Florida)
F Rondae Jefferson (Arizona)
G Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame)
F Jabari Parker (Duke)
F Bobby Portis (Arkansas)
F Julius Randle (undecided)
F Noah Vonleh (Indiana)

Related: You might want to watch this dunk from Rondae Jefferson

Arizona signee Rondae Jefferson, a five-star recruit, is the future at small forward for the Wildcats. Above is a video of what that future looks like.

Jefferson, from Chester (Pa.) High School, delivered this dunk in the Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic Friday night in his hometown. He grabbed the defensive rebound, started the fast break, went behind the back with his dribble to get past one defender, avoided others as he reached the lane, scooped the ball off the backboard to himself, caught it with his left hand … and slammed it home.

Jefferson later would go on to win the game in the final seconds with a spin move in the post and a reverse layup for a 63-61 victory over Imhotep Charter. Quotes from Jefferson and more details about the game are here at DelcoTimes.com.

With Arizona losing Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom after this season, Jefferson will have a chance to immediately shine at small forward.

“Rondae is a physical player; he’s a winner,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said last month after Jefferson had signed his letter-of-intent.

“Chester High School and 4A basketball in the state in Pennsylvania … that’s as competitive as anywhere in the country. He’s a warrior.

“He’s similar to Solomon in that he can do a lot of things. He can handle the ball. I think he has a chance to be a great defensive player. He’s long; very unselfish; can pass. A player that I think is a great teammate.”

Jefferson and 6-5 shooting guard Elliott Pitts from De La Salle High in Concord, Calif., are the two players who signed with Arizona in November. Pitts is rated a four-star recruit from Scout.com and a three-star recruit from Rivals.com.

Rondae Jefferson dunks during the Nike Global Challenge in Alexandria, Va., this summer. Photo by Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE

With UConn coach Jim Calhoun announcing his retirement on Thursday, the name of Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller likely will come up in speculation as a potential replacement after this season.

You can hear the chatter: Miller will want to return to his East Coast roots.

In the meantime, Miller is digging in so well in Tucson that’s it’s hard to see him wanting to leave before the program truly blossoms on his watch.

On the heels of a recruiting class considered among the top three in the nation, Miller and his staff is doing good work again, on Thursday landing five-star prospect Rondae Jefferson, a 6-6 wing from Chester, Pa.

Tweeted CBSSports.com college basketball writer Gary Parrish: “Sean Miller is building a monster.”

Jefferson has been one of Arizona’s top targets, and he took an official visit to campus last week — including a stop in the Zona Zoo during the football victory over Oklahoma State — after recently being in Tucson on an unofficial trip. He committed during an in-home visit Thursday.

Jefferson seems to fit perfectly into Miller’s program with a skill set much like that of players he will be trying to replace next season — UA seniors Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom. Jefferson is a perimeter player with a long wingspan who can guard multiple positions and is often described in stories as a “point forward.”

Like Hill and Parrom, he should be able to lead the fast break and be a tenacious rebounder in offensive sets.

Scout.com ranks Jefferson as the 10th-best prospect in the nation; 247Sports rates him at No. 15; Rivals.com rates him at No. 16.

Jefferson is the second recruit in Arizona’s recruiting class. The other is 6-5 shooting guard Elliott Pitts from De La Salle High in Concord, Calif. He is rated No. 141 overall in the class by Rivals.com and 146 by 247Sports. Pitts also had offers from Cal, Washington and Georgetown, among others.

Arizona is in pursuit of other top targets, including 6-8 forward Aaron Gordon from San Jose, Calif., (a national top 10 recruit) and 6-5 guard Keith Frazier from Dallas (a national top 25 prospect).

Arizona it is #BearDown

— Rondae Jefferson(@RondaeJ23) September 13, 2012