It's a shame that some all-time greats are almost forgotten. I mentioned Worthy and Dominique to a group that skewed younger than me and the names didn't register with these guys. Btw, everyone remembers Jordan's shot to win the '82 NCAA title but Michael wasn't yet Michael, and James was "the man" with that Tar Heel team. Even as athletes get better every year, Dominque's highlights still ring spectacular.

This is my favorite McDonald's All American team class ever. This assortment of players is loaded with 🏀 legends...

Thanks, my man. That class was so deep you could do an hour video. The greatest high school class of all time.

@chambda

20 күн бұрын

I agree 100%!

I think James Worthy was born with a beard.

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

The only player Dean Smith let play with a beard because I think he had pseudo folliculitis barbae. Us military dudes know what that is.

@Shedrack-tt9rv

Ай бұрын

😂

@Shedrack-tt9rv

Ай бұрын

😂

@dsanchez9703

Ай бұрын

😂

@shermanmiller3203

16 күн бұрын

That’s funny

Sam Bowie was a force before he broke his leg. Clark Kellogg was also a dog before injuries

@clarencebland4861

22 күн бұрын

Sam Bowie was ok but he certainly wasn’t what you’d call a beast

@Biggdoom344

22 күн бұрын

@@clarencebland4861 before he broke his leg the first time..definitely. If he had come out his sophomore year..he would have been the #1 pick. He missed two years then came back and was still a top 5 pick.

@clarencebland4861

21 күн бұрын

And it would have been a wasted pick. I saw almost every game bowie played at kentucky and he was ok. If he hit his first deep ball he’d spend the rest of the game launching them up…and missing most of them. His teammate, Melvin Turpin, was the real deal for them. He even gave The Round Mound of Rebound a good go. Too bad he ate himself out of the nba.

I came out of that class and played against some of those players. I had no idea that many stars came out that year until a couple of years ago (before the age of the internet). We got our news from Street and Smith Magazine.

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Remember Ralph Sampson picture with that Blue Streak jersey tallest HS player I had ever seen up to that point.

@chesterhayes2044

19 күн бұрын

Man I lived for that Street and Smith magazine to come out with its basketball issue. I would read it over and over! 😂

Indeed, the most talented class of all time! Not to be forgotten from this same class is Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin from Grand Rapids (MI) Creston High School and remains the all-time leading scorer at Central Michigan. At the BC camp in the summer of 1978, "Sugar" put on a show - averaging nearly 50 points a game and leading his team to the championship - if they would have had the three-point play in his day, he'd be a household name by now instead of a more of a local legend. He's still doing his thing in GR, running Sugar Mel's All-Star Basketball Camp in the summer months. and shooting long-range jumpers at the local gyms and parks in GR - showing the younger generation how to play ball. Ask anyone, including Glen Rice, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, etc., whose played with or against "Sugar". I was honored to write his story in a book: "The Basketball Life and Legacy of Melvin 'Sugar' McLaughlin. Thanks for allowing me to share. Keep up the good work!

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Love this insight!

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Wow !!! I thought I knew my history, but I never heard of him. Thanks for enlightening me.

@vernwendt2455

Ай бұрын

Here's a video of Sugar (#1) playing in a local All-Star game (at 33 years)- from around 1:00 minute on you can get a climpse of his shooting range: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZmyrzcetYrLWdcY.html

Probably the greatest single high school class of men's basketball ever

All-time great McDonalds All-American class

Great video! It brings back great memories. That high school class was amazing!

Poor Teddy Grubbs go off the path after a fast start. I remember that as a freshman at DePaul he went for 28 and 12 against UCLA

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

I think Grubbs ended up with mental issues....possibly depression.

@user-jq1so5vd2i

27 күн бұрын

🥲🥲🥲🥲Teddy Grubbs had SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. NUMEROUS ISSUES THAT WERE COVERED UP BY DEPAUL

At some point, Worthy, Wilkins, and Jordan were in high school in NC at the same time. Wow.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Wild!

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

But back then everybody looked at the big cities like NY, Philly, Chicago and L.A

@samu-eljackson4211

Ай бұрын

@@missayawk facts.

@davidhubler9383

Ай бұрын

111111111111111111​@@missayawk

@007ndc

Ай бұрын

Buck Williams too I think

I love these videos, I grew up with these guys. I used to buy all the college basketball magazines back then. I hope you are doing 1980 soon. Thanks for the memories. Sad that so many of these players struggled with addiction,

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Working on the 1980 this weekend, so hopefully have it posted sometime next week

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

That 1980 was a big let down after this class. I think the top guy was Russell Cross ( 😳)

i played against rodney mccray in the newyork state championship game in high school what a great player was we lost the game but it was still one of the highlights of my high school career.

@petergomez7490

Ай бұрын

"Scooter"?

@danielcorreard3746

Ай бұрын

@@petergomez7490 i played against Rodney scooter was his older brother

I am glad KZread algorithm made me watch this video because this is very interesting video and a topic not a lot channel have done before. You got my follow

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Thanks!

THE GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL CLASS EVER 1979🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

The best high school class ever.

Side note Quinton Dailey at that time was considered the greatest High School Player to come out of Baltimore. Dominque Wilkins also lived in Baltimore for small period of time not sure if he played ball in high school butcwas known on the playgrounds Dunbar coach Bob Wade tried to convince his mom to let him stay and play she said no and moved to North Carolina

It makes absolutely no sense that Olajuwon and Sampson didn't win at least one title together.

@jamesgraham3116

25 күн бұрын

Samson couldn't stay healthy, that's the only reason why.

I was a sophomore in HS when this team came out and was the 1st year i started following HS basketball. I thought EVERY year was gonna be great like this but i was definitely wrong. In my opinion the greatest class ever.

This is awesome, what a wonderful series. I love it. Keep it up.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Not planning to slow down anytime soon! Hopefully have 80 ready in a week or so (though they are getting longer because it's easier to find people haha)

@Chck314

Ай бұрын

can't wait!@@RickyFrech404

James Worthy and Bobby Jones aka White Lightning are the 2 best finishers on the break in basketball history.

@sirjer73

23 күн бұрын

Carolina Blue, the both of them!!! Not to mention the Kangoroo kid Billy Cunningham, Micheal Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse and Vince Carter@!!

Greatest class of all time. Period

Great video

New subscriber 💯💯

Thank you for the information on Teddy Grubbs. Wondered for some time what happened to him after his DePaul stint, fading away due to some mental issues, as understood. Sad to learn that he passed. Yet, appreciate the update.

That was a fun video to watch

I love this series!!!

Hands down THE BEST HS All AM team EVER! I mean Dominique Wilkins, Isaiah Thomas, Tony " Red" Bruin ( could jump out da gym) & played for a phenomenal HS basketball team, Mater Dei in NYC, Daren Daye, Clark Kellog, James Worthy, and the two towers of Power Sam Bowie & Ralph Sampson @ 7'1 & 7'4 respectively, Sid Green from Brooklyn, and on and on just the best

This without a doubt is the greatest and most legendary class ever in the Micky D era.

Ahsmwm Awesome; I look forward to this series. I know most of this, but was like a child in a candy store when I first saw this.

Think about this, in this class there were 2 legends that won NCAA titles, back to back NBA titles, Final Four MOP Awards and NBA Finals MVP Awards. Both were voted 50 Greatest Players ever. That's Isiah Thomas and James Worthy. In fact Isiah Thomas win his Final Four MOP against Worthy and Worthy won his NBA Finals MVP against Isiah.

Incredible class

If only Sam Bowie could have stayed healthy.

Correction. Thurl Bailey was not a jazz legend and actor. That would be 1982 McDonald's All American Wayman Tisdale. Tisdale was more successful in his music career than he was in his basketball career, which was good before injuries. He passed away of cancer

Damn three kids by 14

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Must be a small town with not much to do ( 😳).

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Three kids by 17-18 yrs old,!!!!!

Great 👍🏿 class

I'll take a starting five of Isiah, Scott, Worthy, Wilkins, and Sampson with Paxson, Carr, Bowie, and Green coming off the bench.

Hey thanks a lot

I have always searched KZread unsuccessfully for actual highlights of the 79 McDonald's game played in Charlotte. They dont seem to exist.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

If memory serves, they weren't televised until 85ish, so there's no footage (though I could be wrong and maybe someone filmed it not for TV?)

@maa7332

Ай бұрын

I have found KZread videos beginning from 1983 - 2024. The only years I could not find are the following: 2001, 2002, 2017, 2020/2021 (no games). I am looking for the 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 games.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

@@maa7332 Yeah, I don't know if that footage exists, though I would love to be proven wrong so I could go back to these and add highlights of some of the guys who didn't make it

@maa7332

Ай бұрын

@@RickyFrech404 Not sure why 2001, 2002, 2017 don't exist! Anyway, great job! Suggestion: add the original photo from SI/Ebony in your video.

@007ndc

Ай бұрын

I think Darren Daye was the MVP

Not a single player from this class was a “One-and-Done”.

*Notable Names* Dominique Wilkins, Byron Scott, James Worthy, Sam Bowie, Isiah Thomas, Sidney Lowe, Derrick Wittenberg, John Paxon Wasn’t it a wrist injury that forced Isiah’s retirement? And didn’t he say he could’ve played on and wished he had? Paxon played with my guy Joe Buchanan (Seattle, O’Dea HS). I’m surprised Dominique Wilkins’ teammate Gerald Marbury (older brother of Stephon) wasn’t a McDonalds All-American. Btw, his choosing Georgia over UNC reeks of payoff! He could’ve been on a squad with MJ, Perkins, Worthy, Dougherty, and J. Black. Imagine ‘Nique with those guys, and then Dean Smith hearing about Olajuwon and recruiting him to UNC with MJ is n 1981. Every southern coach threw a fit when Houston got (then) Akeem Olajuwon and ostensibly sneaked him in without their scouts knowing about him, and he nearly wound up at Providence! Another huge miss: Clyde Drexler in 1979 who was underrated and should’ve been an All-American coming out of high school. He’s another guy who might have strongly considered UNC if he had been recruited there. MJ Dominique Worthy Perkins Drexler Olajuwon Would’ve easily been the greatest college squad ever…completely untouchable.

@user-zi7id3ow1c

24 күн бұрын

Class of hall of famers

Stellar

And thank you.

Dominque grew up in Baltimore than moved to Nc.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

haha yeah, I was just trying to have some fun with the "from Paris" part

@hgm38

Ай бұрын

@@RickyFrech404 👊🏽

I'm really looking forward to your video of the 1981 team. I always wondered whatever became of that SG from North Carolina's Lainey High School, Michael Jordan. Lol.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Hmm, never heard of him!

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Ironically MJ wasn't selected MVP although he was the first to score 30 pts in a McDonald's game a record that stood for about 19 years. Co- MVPs were Adrian Branch and Aubrey Sherrod ( 😮)

@lwmson

Ай бұрын

@@missayawk Are you sure about that? I know that Branch played for the D.C. all stars and they lost that game. Pat Ewing played for D.C. too, even though he was from Mass.

Like how Cheerleader took the "Charge" On Braddock.....

Best Class ever

Nuggets loved Carolina players.

2:10 when you just have to bodycheck a cheerleader....

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

😂😂😂

As a long time Tar Heel fan, I still to this day often what if the Heels had landed Ralph Sampson, who they were heavily in the mix for up to the very end to be paired with James Worthy in college. If I remember correctly Sampson was a very late commitment to UVA and had not announced his college choice even at the time the 79 McDonald's game was played. I could be wrong about that but think he came in uncommitted to that game. Obviously way before the internet but I remember as a 16 year old living in NC at the time the Sampson recruitment saga still got heavy, heavy, I mean real heavy press in the NC newspapers. It was a huge deal. Still to this day the only recruiting commitment live announcement that I had ever seen on live TV news break that I ever recall watching or even hearing about on live TV ever in my life. Worthy paired with Sampson would have resulted in the greatest era ever in UNC basketball ever, I still strongly believe that to this day.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

Sampson, Worthy, MJ, and Perkins would be unfair. If they somehow convince Worthy to stay for the 83 and add freshman Brad Daugherty to that team...goodness...

@CapeFear1

Ай бұрын

@RickyFrech404 Its been said that Perkins would not have signed with UNC had Sampson committed a year earlier. As much as I live Sam, Worthy with Sampson in college would have taken UNC on a 2, 3 year span of NCAA titles, depending on who stayed, left early. As it is I can't complain because Worthy/Perkins brought 2 consecutive title game appearances

@CapeFear1

Ай бұрын

@RickyFrech404 And if I remember correctly there was a news break for the Ralph Sampson commitment announcement on live TV during the afternoon on all major NC TV stations on a weekday. They interrupted regular schedule programming ( Soap Operas) to air Ralph Sampson announcing his college choice even in NC. He didn't commit during half time of an all star game that was already being aired on TV. The broke regular scheduled daytime TV to air his commitment announcement. Something I had never seen before or since. He was a gigantic recruit and it got major attention not seen before or since. But when the announcement press conference aired he clearly stated that his final choice had come down to UVA and Kentucky where everyone going in to the press conference had said it was between UVA and UNC. I remember being devastated as a UNC fan clearly. It worked out well for UNC during the Sampson years but UNC with Sampson would have been absolutely unbeatable.

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

@@CapeFear1 haha, yeah, you're probably right on that, but it's fun to dream!

@RickyFrech404

Ай бұрын

@@CapeFear1 This is great. Reminds me a bit of LeBron's Decision in a way

Clark Kellogg

2:13 😮 why was she taking this charge??

@RickyFrech404

27 күн бұрын

😂😂😂

This is why KZread exists

i knew worthy was going to be an nba hall of famer when he was still playing at north carolina alongside al wood. once he put that ball over his head, no one was going to stop him. he was my favorite player on the lakers, more so than magic or kareem.

@missayawk

Ай бұрын

Worthy was MAN his first game at UNC. Never played like a kid.

Rodney McCray mount Vernon n y . Bigtime. Bowtie over Jordan. Like leaf over Payton. Red Bruins. A big bust.

SAM. B. WENT #1...HAKEEM #2...JORDAN #3

Correction. He lost to obama on purpose.

@RickyFrech404

25 күн бұрын

😂