A trio of New Jersey high school stars will take center stage on Tuesday night in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Houston (9 p.m., ESPN).
D.J. Wagner of Camden, the No. 2 player in the Class of 2023 by ESPN, will join his father Dajuan and grandfather Milt as All-Americans to play in the game at Toyota Center. Camden teammate and fellow Kentucky commit Aaron Bradshaw, ranked No. 4 by ESPN, and Duke pledge Mackenzie Mgbako of Roselle Catholic, ranked No. 8, will also play in the game. All three will play on the East Team.
“Basketball needs Jersey,” the 7-foot-2 Bradshaw said Monday on a Zoom call with reporters. “Jersey basketball is different because we’re tough. We always feel like we got a chip in our shoulder.”
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For Wagner and Bradshaw, it will be their first game action since Feb. 16 when Camden was involved in a melee during the second quarter of the Camden County Tournament final against cross-town rival Camden Eastside. The Camden City School District pulled both teams from the state tournament prior to any announcement from the NJSIAA regarding their eligibility for postseason play.
After the McDonald’s Game, both players will travel to Atlanta to play in a new 16-team event called The Throne, set for March 29-April 1 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Camden is being billed as the “Avalanche” so it will play as a club team instead of a high school team.
“I’m excited just to be able to get back on court with my guys again,” Wagner said. “It’s like one more go-round for us in a way, so I’m just very excited. I know there will be a lot of good teams down there so I’m excited.”
Asked if he had any regrets about how his season ended, Wagner, said. “I’m just happy to be able to play again with my guys. I’m just happy to be able to play in The Throne again.”
Wagner and Bradshaw are among four Kentucky commits in the game, along with Justin Edwards of Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia, the No. 1 prospect in 2023, and Laurel (KY) shooting guard Reed Sheppard, ranked No. 22 by ESPN.
The Kentucky guys have been bonding during practices and events
“It’s like playing pickup with them again as kids, just enjoying our time and having fun,” Bradshaw said. “It’s really what it was.”
With Kentucky losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Kansas State one year after they were ousted by No. 15 Saint Peter’s, the Kentucky guys were asked about their goals and expectations for next season.
“I think we can accomplish a lot, I think we can win a national championship,” said Edwards, whose team lost to Camden in January.
Said Bradshaw: “We’re going to pick it up. We’re going to try to win for Cal [Kentucky coach John Calipari], for ourselves and just try to do the best we can do.”
The 6-8 Mgbako won the Non-Public B state title with Roselle Catholic and will compete in both the McDonald’s Game and then the Nike Hoop Summit, where he will play for the International team on April 8 in Portland, Ore. Wagner and Edwards will both play for USA Basketball in the event.
Mgbako will have to miss playing with Roselle Catholic in the State Champions Invitational next month at Georgetown University due to all the travel.
But he is looking forward to playing for coach Jon Scheyer next season at Duke. The Blue Devils lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Tennessee, but have the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class coming in.
Asked how good Duke could be next season, Mgbako said, “Probably a chip,” he said, referring to the national championship.
“I’m excited with Tyrese coming back, Caleb [Foster], Jared [McCain], TJ [Power], me, Sean [Stewart], we have a really talented class so we’re excited to show y’all what we can do,” he said.
A recent 2024 mock draft on nbadraftroom.com had Bradshaw going No. 5, Mgbako, Wagner No. 10 and Mgbako No. 17.
Elmarko Jackson, a Marlton native who began his high school career at St. Augustine, will also play on the East team. Now at South Kent School (CT), Jackson is headed to Kansas.
He said the highlight of his week was appearing at the Ronald McDonald House to meet with children.
“My favorite experience has been going to the Ronald McDonald House and being with the children, just seeing how we can positively impact their day is great,” he said.
He also said he was proud to represent New Jersey and pointed to the “grit” of the players from the Garden State.
“Everybody’s competitive, nobody’s backing down no matter who you are,” Jackson said. “You could be a five-star player in the gym, unranked player, nobody’s backing down.
“Being from Jersey you have a reputation you have to uphold. You can’t slack with anything. You gotta wear New Jersey on your chest and represent it proudly and carry yourself with a type of aura that people know it’s Jersey.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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