The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Bimini native Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe can now add being named to the 2024 boys McDonald’s All-American roster to his already long list of impressive accolades.

The announcement of the respective East and West All-Star rosters came on Tuesday with the event scheduled to take place on April 2 in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. Edgecombe joins a short list of Bahamians to be selected to a team, including the likes of the 2018 no.1 pick of the NBA draft Deandre Ayton and Harbour Island native Lashann Higgs, who was the first Bahamian to be recognised as McDonald’s All-American.

The five-star prospect will be a part of the West team and is the only Baylor University commit to be selected to the boys’ roster.

The newest addition to the Bears Nation will play alongside Airious Bailey (McEachern High School/ Rutgers), Flory Bidunga (Kokomo High School/ Kansas), Carter Bryant (Centennial High School/ Arizona), Vazoumana Diallo (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/Washington), Donavan Freeman (IMG Academy/Syracuse), Dylan Harper (Don Bosco Preparatory High School/ Rutgers), Richard Johnson (Link Academy/Texas), Karter Knox (Overtime Elite Academy), Trent Perry (Harvard-Westlake School/Southern California), Derrion Reid (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/ Alabama) and Aiden Sherrell (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/Alabama).

The team will be coached by Tommy Brakel of the North Crowley High School in Texas. James Manthe and Ethan Anderson, both from the same school, will serve as assistant coaches on the West team.

The East team members are Jalil Bethea (Archbishop Wood High School/Miami), John Bol (Overtime Elite Academy/Ole Miss), Isaiah Evans (North Mecklenburg High School/Duke), Cooper Flagg (Montverde Academy/Duke), Johnuel Fland (Archbishop Stepinac High School/ Kentucky), Ian Jackson (Our Saviour Lutheran School/North Carolina), Liam McNeely (Montverde Academy/Indiana), Tahaad Pettiford (Hudson Catholic Regional High School/Auburn), Drake Powell (Northwood High School/North Carolina), Jayden Quaintance (Word of God Christian Academy/Kentucky), Derik Queen (Montverde Academy), and Bryson Tucker (Bishop O’ Connell High School).

Sharman White, representing Pace Academy, will coach the East team and will be assisted by Johathan Robinson, of Pace Academy as well, and James Hartry from Tucker High School in Georgia.

The 6-foot-5 guard currently averages 18.2 points per game with the Long Island Lutheran High School. He was recently recruited by a plethora of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 teams, including Duke and Kentucky but made a decision to commit to Baylor.

His signing, complemented by the addition of top prospects Robert Wright III and Jason Asemota, immediately pushed the Bears into the Big 12 conference title conversation for next fall.

As for the McDonald’s All- American game, the top 48 players for the East vs West format were selected from a pool of 700+ nominees. The All-Star basketball game is for American and Canadian boys and girls high school basketball graduates.

The participants also compete in a slam dunk and three-point shooting competition. The exhibition event debuted in 1977 with just a boys’ contest but girls were added in 2002.