There’s an incredible opportunity waiting for the players in the 2026 boys McDonald’s All-American Game to prove they can be the star player this class has been waiting for. Next season’s group of incoming college freshmen arrives with far less hype than last year’s class or the group before that. There’s no Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer or AJ Dybantsa already preordained as a future No. 1 overall NBA draft pick. Instead, the class of 2026 is full of talented players with two-way potential who are still growing into their bodies and their games.
It’s no surprise that both Duke and John Calipari’s Arkansas program have multiple McDonald’s All-Americans coming in next season. It is a bit surprising that Missouri landed two Burger Boys in Jason Crowe and Toni Bryant, while the USC Trojans are the only team with three All-Americans thanks to the commitment of twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff (the sons of long-time NBA big Theo Ratliff).
I’ve been doing an introduction to the McDonald’s All-Americans for more than a decade. You can read my write-ups from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025 here.
Which players on the McDonald’s All-American Game roster will eventually develop into stars? Let’s dive into the class for an early look at college basketball’s next top freshmen.
Tyran Stokes is a powerhouse wing with real passing vision
Stokes is the biggest name in this year’s McDonald’s Game as the No. 1 ranked player in the class for multiple years. He still hasn’t made his college decision and will be choosing between Kansas, Kentucky, and Oregon. I’ve been writing about Stokes since 2023, and it’s easy to see his long-term upside. At 6’7, 245 pounds, he has a powerful frame that can play through contact at both ends with an impressive blend of speed and leaping. He’s at his best getting downhill, and he should get to the free throw line a ton. The jump shot is his biggest question, and he’ll need to prove he can space the floor and be anything more than a low-volume deep shooter once he arrives in college. Stokes’ best skill is his passing right now. He can drop dimes off a live dribble and shows good anticipation for open windows. His motor can also look really good in flashes, but needs to stay consistent. He should be a wrecking ball defensively and on the glass with his physicality. It shows up on tape sometimes, but not always. He’ll be the front-runner to go No. 1 in the 2027 NBA Draft, but he’s far from a lock right now.
Anthony Thompson is a long knockdown shooter
The best off-ball scorer in the class of 2026 is Anthony Thompson. Thompson is Ohio State’s first McDonald’s All-American since D’Angelo Russell, and it feels like he could be a grassroots favorite to eventually go No. 1 in the 2027 NBA Draft. The pitch on Thompson is shooting, length, and defensive playmaking. He has a beautiful lefty jumper with deep range that feels like it’s cash every time it leaves his hand. At 6’8 with a reported 7’4 wingspan, Thompson is super long and puts his reach to use defensively. He has quick hands and should post impressive steal and block rates once he arrives in college. Thompson also knows who he is as a player and rarely tries to force plays outside his comfort zone. Fans will question his “bag work” with limited craft off the bounce, and scouts will wonder how high a player can really go without proven creation ability. There simply aren’t many players alive with this kind of length and shooting intersection, and it’s going to make him an instant impact freshman and a coveted long-term prospect.
Jordan Smith is a high-motor guard
If you want a long, strong, and athletic two-way guard with a non-stop motor and awesome defensive playmaking ability, then Arkansas commit Jordan Smith is your guy. He’s one of the most physical and competitive elite guard prospects in recent years, and his skill level is just starting to catch up to his tools. Smith isn’t too tall at 6’2, but he plays so much bigger than his size with long arms (a reported 6’8+ wingspan), a jacked frame, and a mentality to never take a play off. He’s going to gobble up rebounds and steals while playing for John Calipari, and his offense has made strides over the last year. He’s at his best scoring in transition, but he also has enough burst to get downhill and play through contact in the paint. The jump shot is his big question. He’s not a natural point guard and he’s not going to be a high-volume three-point shooter off the ball, but Smith checks so many boxes in terms of impacting winning that he’s one of the safest bets in this class.
Caleb Holt is growing into a two-way force
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Holt is a big guard — 6’5 with a 6’9 wingspan — who has always been really good defensively and is starting to show takeover scoring ability. He’ll slide into Brayden Burries’ role on Arizona next season, and he could be even better. Holt transferred to national powerhouse Prolific Prep for his senior season, and showed off step-back threes and tough downhill drives as part of his improved offensive arsenal. He can lockdown defensively on the ball while also getting into the passing lanes, which should make him an instant impact player from day one. He still needs to grow as a pick-and-roll ball handler and decision-maker, but the shot-making improvement is so encouraging that it feels like he’ll have a decent shot at being the best freshman in the country and eventually the No. 1 overall pick with a strong season at Arizona.
Bruce Branch is BYU’s next star freshman
Branch reclassified to enter college a year early, where he’ll take over for A.J. Dybantsa as BYU’s next stud freshman. He has the potential to be a 3-and-D wing with a strong 6’7 frame and long arms with a reported 7’1 wingspan. Branch is at his best playing like a free safety who darts into the passing lanes to force transition opportunities and fills the lane on the break. His jumper looks good to my eyes on catch-and-shoot opportunities, and should make him a floor spacer at the next level. He doesn’t have much shiftiness or bag work in his game yet, and probably shouldn’t be tasked with creating offense on the ball next year at BYU.
Cam Williams is 6’11 with guard skills
Cam Williams will be Duke’s newest freshman phenom, but it isn’t fair to compare him to Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer. The 6’11 big man is just scratching the surface of his long-term upside and is far from a finished product right now. The main appeal is his shooting ability at his size. Williams can run off screens like a big wing and quickly square him to the basket for jumpers. He’ll even pop a few threes off the dribble. Williams wants to attack off the bounce as a face-up threat, but he looks a little stiff in doing so. He also isn’t the most physical interior play-finisher yet, in part because he only has average length. He looks pretty good as a shot-blocker defensively, and he’ll have some highlights on grab-and-go rebounds. If he’s used the right way, Williams can have an impact as a stretch big man with some unique perimeter flashes who also helps protect the rim.
Other McDonald’s All-American standouts
Brandon McCoy, uncommitted: McCoy has a strong frame for a off-ball guard or wing at 6’5 with a 6’10 wingspan. He plays with force at both ends of the floor, and does a good job using his physicality to disrupt drivers and play through contact when getting downhill. His shot is a big question with a shaky three-point stroke and poor free throw shooting numbers thus far.
Arafan Diane, Houston: Absolutely massive 7’1, 300-pound center with soft hands. He needs to get in better shape, but could be a game-wrecker under Kelvin Sampson.
Taylen Kinney, Kansas commit: Kinney jumped out in the scrimmages for his shiftiness, floater, and live dribble playmaking. He plays bigger than his size defensively at 6’1, getting aggressive in ball screen coverage and using his quick hands to get his team out in the open floor. His ability to change directions at top speed should make him a weapon for the Jayhawks.
JJ Andrews, Arkansas commit: The son of former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Shawn Andrews is a 6’7 wing with a strong frame and impressive scoring ability. Andrews is at his best on straight line drives going to the basket, but also a developing mid-range pull-up game and spot-up three-point stroke.
Christian Collins, USC commit: Athletic 6’8 wing who is still sharpening his skill level and feel for the game.
Jaxon Richardson, Alabama commit: Jason Richardson’s other son, Jaxon broke family tradition by choosing to play for Nate Oats instead of Tom Izzo and Michigan State. The 6’6 wing is an absolutely freaky leaper like his old man who also uses his explosiveness to make plays defensively. He should be a natural fit in Bama’s up tempo system.
McDonald’s All-American Game 2026 boys roster
Here’s the full roster for the 2026 boys McDonald’s All-American Game.
McDonald’s All-American Game 2026 date, TV time, streaming, and more
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Girls’ Game: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Boys’ Game: 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
