Six of the 48 star high school basketball players recently selected for this spring’s 48th Annual All-American Games will be playing at the collegiate level in North Carolina later this year.
It was announced last week that four Duke basketball signees and two North Carolina commits are among this year’s selections for the prestigious exhibition contests that bring together elite talent throughout the country.
For nearly 50 years, the annual event has been the premier all-star game for over 1,600 high school seniors — many of whom have included future professional stars.
“The McDonald’s All-American Games are headed to the basketball mecca of Brooklyn, NY, for the first time ever, descending on Barclays Center for a showdown featuring basketball’s future all-stars,” McDonald’s All-American Games announced in a Jan. 27 press release.
“The final group of 24 girls and 24 boys were hand selected by a collection of the game’s top analysts, prep scouts, media and coaches, from hundreds of potential high school players. This next generation of players represent communities from across the nation, each looking to make their own unique mark on the Games’ rich history, continuing a 48-year legacy of impact both on and off the court.”
On the boys’ side, two Duke recruits representing the East team will square off against a UNC recruit and another Duke recruit over on the West team.
The twin sons of former Blue Devil star Carlos Boozer — 6-foot-9 five-star power forward Cameron Boozer and 6-foot-4 four-star point guard Cayden Boozer — both lived up to their family name playing at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, FL, before committing to Duke last October.
The former is averaging 22.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game this season, while the latter is averaging 12.9 points and 7.2 assists.
The Boozers will play against their future teammate Nikolas Khamenia, a 6-foot-8 four-star small forward from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, CA.
With a high school record of 116-10, Khamenia has been the main force behind a juggernaut team that is now hoping to win its third consecutive state title; Duke coach Jon Scheyer has been intrigued by what the Cali star could bring to his Blue Devil team for the 2025-26 season.
“Those dudes are winners,” Khamenia said of his upcoming Durham days with the Boozer twins. “I have actually talked to them about it and how they are on and off the court. Those two are really good players. It will be really cool to play with them. They are winners like myself and like to win games.”
Joining him on the West team is UNC recruit and 6-foot-9 five-star power forward Caleb Wilson, who currently plays for Holy Innocents Episcopal School in Atlanta, GA. The 18-year-old recently made an appearance on NBA on TNT to announce his commitment to coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels.
“I want to thank God, I want to thank my family, my coaches…everybody who’s really supported me and helped me make this decision and get to the level I’m at today,” Wilson told NBA on TNT. “I’ll be taking my talents to Chapel Hill.”
Over in the girls’ game, 6-foot-1 five-star wing Nyla Brooks — a UNC commit from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, VA — will represent the East team as she challenges the West team’s Emilee Skinner, who is Duke’s 6-foot-0 five-star point guard from Ridgeline High School in Millville, UT.
Brooks, averaging 17.9 ppg and 7.7 rpg, will be the fifth UNC signee during the tenure of coach Courtney Banghart to earn the honor of playing in the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Meanwhile, Skinner is the No. 7-rated player in the 2025 class and will be the Blue Devils’ third espnW top-10 player signed in the last three seasons. Duke coach Kara Lawson’s future player has averaged a loaded stat line of 26.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, five assists and 3.7 steals per game during the 2024-25 season.
“I’m so excited to play for Duke. It feels great to have officially signed,” Skinner said after her signing in November. “I cannot wait to play for Coach Kara and to be a part of The Sisterhood. This is a great opportunity for me to grow as a player and to contribute to the team’s success.”
The 2025 McDonald’s All-American Games are scheduled for April 1, with the girls’ game tipping off at 6:30 p.m. and the boys’ game at 9 p.m.
