More In-Depth McDonald's A-A Evals!

Having watched both McDonald’s All-American practices and Sunday’s scrimmage, we go more in-depth on a handful of prospects who are part of the prestigious event.

The West team, on paper, is the bigger, stronger club with more of the consensus top-ranked prospects. Of course, that was all out the window in the scrimmage as the East Club defeated the West, 48-46, in a running clock affair. The East missed two late free throws, but the West’s Brandon McCoy Jr. was off on a 3-point attempt from the wing.

McCoy, who led FAB 50 No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) to the CIF open division title, is one of the seven prospects we take an in-depth look at heading into Tuesday’s game.

Brandon McCoy

The second best available senior in the country behind West teammate Tyran Stokes of Rainier Beach (Wash.), McCoy is an explosive guard whose defense is his superpower. While, his shooting still needs work but is developing, his ability to impact the game on the defensive end separates him and gives him a high floor as a prospect.

McCoy is a defensive playmaker, who can change the game with his energy, instincts, effort and verticality. He provides point-of-attack pressure: Makes it difficult for opposing guards to get comfortable. He and Jordan Smith Jr. of FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) are the best in the country at that. He’s explosive moving laterally as he stays in front and contains dribble penetration. Lastly, the shot high level shot blocking especially for a guard.

Offensively, it’s how downhill pressure that stands out. He’s equipped with an explosive first step, he gets into the paint consistently and collapses defenses, which creates opportunities for himself and others. McCoy’s athleticism translates to both ends of the floor. Offensively, it allows him to create advantages, while defensively it fuels his ability to cover ground and disrupt plays. In the open floor, he’s a real problem. He gets to the basket quickly, finishes above the rim and hard to stay in front of with a head of steam.

McCoy’s attitude and approach have to also be applauded this week. He has the desire to get better and improve any short-comings, which there are not many.

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Cameron Williams

This homegrown product from St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.) is getting plenty of attention from media and NBA scouts. He brings a strong blend of scoring ability, athleticism and versatility with tremendous upside. With his size and skill set, he fits the mold of a modern forward who can impact the game on both ends of the floor. Usually it’s easy to come up with a comp for McDonald’s All-Americans to current or former NBA players, but that’s not the case with Williams. He’s unique.

Williams’ skillset is emerging. He is finishing better, making open threes and showing ability to generate offense. He is more than capable of stepping out and knocking down perimeter shots. When attacking closeouts, he does a good job getting downhill and finishing at the rim.

With his size and developing skill set, Williams can play multiple roles as a forward. He is comfortable handling the ball in space, attacking mismatches, and contributing within the flow of the offense. To continue progressing, key areas of growth include consistency as a perimeter shooter, adding strength and physicality, and continuing to sharpen his overall defensive discipline.

The local crowd will root for Williams to take home MVP honors in this game. If he gets off to a good start, don’t be surprised if he’s in the running.

Maximo Adams

The North Carolina pledge injured his ankle in the CIF state championships the weekend of March 13-15 and unfortunately he tweaked it during the first practice. He did not practice the second day or perform in the scrimmage, with West teammate Jason Crowe Jr. of Inglewood (Calif.) also in the same boat. it will be interesting to see how that affects the rotation of the West club if Crowe is less than 100 percent and/or Maxi can’t perform.

When healthy, Adams is a hard-playing forward who brings a strong blend of scoring ability, versatility, and offensive confidence. With his size and skill set, he presents matchup problems as a forward who can operate both on the perimeter and inside. One of Adam’s strengths is his ability to score at multiple levels, especially for a forward. His pullup-shooting is automatic from the mid-range and he’s capable of stepping out and knocking down shots from deep. He applies rim pressure as he attacks closeouts and finishes when he gets downhill. His footwork is on point, he can create scoring angles when the defense cuts him off on drives.

In addition to his improved, relaxed offensive approach, Adams embraces physical play and is effective finishing in traffic, which allows him to convert tough baskets around the rim. His strength allows him to absorb contact and still finish, hold his line when attacking the basket and compete effectively in physical matchups. His offensive rebound prowess also must be mentioned.

I think he’ll be a big-time play finisher once he arrives at Chapel Hill, either that’s on the interior or perimeter, as his more consistent perimeter jumper that he developed this season at Sierra Canyon takes his game to the next level.

J.J. Andrews

One of the toughest players in the class with a motor that seems like it never turns off, the Little Rock Christian Academy (Ark.) product has steadily risen into the national spotlight as one of the most dynamic perimeter prospects in the class. To be frank, he struggled at times during the two protected, but his scoring ability and competitive helped him turn it around during the scrimmage. That was refreshing to see.

The southpaw’s athleticism is one of his strengths as he plays with ertical pop and power, allowing him to finish above the rim both in transition and in traffic. He gives up his body on the glass, too. He rebounds bigger than his listed size and he stays in attack mode on missed shot attempts.

Even though he’s at his best when attacking the rim, Andrews’ jumper is up and down and will need to build consistency with his catch n’ shoot attempts in college. His half-court scoring can become predictable when defenses take away driving lanes.

With his physical tools and mindset, Andrews has the tools to become a versatile defender also. He can guard multiple perimeter positions and has the profile to match up with bigger wings. It’s easy to see what his role will be in Arkansas day one. A utility guy that will impact winning with his motor, athleticism and outlier toughness on both ends.

Arafan Diane

The Iowa United center is arguably the most physically imposing prospect in the national 2026 class. Standing at about 7’0, with a massive frame, Diane is a powerful and skilled post-man that’s a very tough 1-on-1 cover on the block. His presence around the rim, rebounding ability, and passing feel give him a strong foundation.

Once he establishes position in the paint, he becomes extremely difficult to move. He consistently seals defenders deep in the post and creates easy scoring opportunities simply through positioning. That may not always show up in setting such as McDonald’s where clean post entry passes are rare, but it will be there when Kelvin Sampson’s staff gets a hold of him.

He embraces physical play and is comfortable operating in contact-heavy situations, which allows him to dominate smaller frontcourt players. He has good hands, too. He catches bad passes and his soft hands allow him to seal, catch and not lose his position around the rim.

On the glass, he uses his size to carve position to get the rebound or he’ll move his opponent under the rim to get them out of the way from gathering a board. Diane has long arms, and he’ll utilize them to tip the ball out in order for his team to secure another offensive possession.

He’ll need to Improve his foot speed, agility and conditioning because in games I’ve watched, the opponents game plan is to attack him on ball screens or play 5 out, which takes him further away from the basket. If he can just be serviceable guarding in space, that’ll allow him to then punish the undersized front-court guys on the other end.

What this year’s NCAA tourney has shown is the true big man is back en vogue and Diane is just what the doctor ordered for a successful program such as Houston’s.

Jaxon Richardson

This recent Alabama pledge and Southeastern Prep (Orlando, Fla.) product is one of the most physically gifted wings in the 2026 recruiting class. His athleticism, defensive activity, and versatile frame give him a very high ceiling as a two-way player.

The son of former 1999 McDonald’s All-American Jason Richardson, Jaxon carries elite basketball genetics and a style that reflects modern positionless basketball that has shown to be translatable in college and levels further. His brother Jase, was a 2025 NBA Draft first round pick for the Orlando Magic.

Richardson’s most defining trait is his elite explosiveness. He’s arguably the best athlete in the 2026 class as he’s capable of making momentum-changing plays above the rim in transition, off lobs, or on put-back dunks. He’s lethal in transition and a strong off-ball cutter. Albeit, not being a prolific jump shooter, he finds ways to get his numbers up on the point column and in a variety of ways.

Jaxon is able to impact winning without scoring the basketball or having a play drawn for him and that’s what makes him an intriguing long-term prospect. On the glass, I’ve seen this season where he’s had double digit rebounding performances as he attacks the boards and has a nose for the ball. His shooting form and mechanics also lead us to believe the consistency on the perimeter shooting will get there.

Quinn Costello

A knockdown shooting and mobile forward from The Newman School (Boston, Mass.) with a high upside that’ll take some time to see the full package. In today’s game, where size, versatility and shooting are the boxes you want to put a check off on a recruit, the future Michigan Wolverine was a coveted late blooming prospect last spring and summer.

At his core, Costello is a shot-maker and at his size at 6’10 (his size is legit and he’s grown at least an inch since last summer), he’s a reliable perimeter threat with smooth, repeatable mechanics and confidence shooting from deep. Whether spotting up, relocating off the ball, or stepping into rhythm jumpers, he stretches defenses and forces opponents to account for him at all times. His ability to make shots within the flow of the offense makes him a natural fit in structured systems that value spacing and ball movement.

Physically, Costello has good positional size and has gotten stronger, but strength still will play a large factor for him in the college game. Continued strength development will help him finish through contact and expand his defensive impact. There’s a solid foundation there.

Costello’s style of play translates naturally to the college game and he has shown at McDonald’s this week that he belongs and will be a nice addition to Michigan with his combination of finesse and skill.

Ronnie Flores contributed to this report.