Three Kentucky Signees Named to All-USA Boys Basketball Teams
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three Kentucky
men’s basketball signees – De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Edrice “Bam” Adebayo – were
named to the All-USA Boys Basketball Teams. USA TODAY announced the teams on
Tuesday.
Fox was named to the first team, Monk made the second team and Adebayo earned
third-team honors.
The teams were selected by Jim Halley with input from USA TODAY Sports’ Jason
Jordan, high school coaches and recruiting experts.
Fox (first team), Adebayo (second team) and Monk (second team) were named to
the Naismith Boys’ Basketball All-America teams earlier this year.
Adebayo, Fox and Monk will be
joined by fellow 2016 signee Sacha Killeya-Jones in Wednesday night’s McDonalds
All-American Game. The game will be televised at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, live from
the United Center in Chicago.
Monk won the 3-point shooting contest and finished second in the dunk contest on
Tuesday as part of the buildup to Wednesday’s All-American Game.
Kentucky’s other 2016 signee,
Wenyen Gabriel, was not eligible for the game as a fifth-year senior.
Adebayo, Fox and Killeya-Jones will
suit up for the East team in Wednesday night’s main event, while Fox will play
for the West.
With the selections of Adebayo, Fox,
Killeya-Jones and Monk, UK has signed 25 players during the John Calipari era
who have been named McDonalds All-Americans, more than any other school in the
country during that time period. Four players or more from each signing class
have been tabbed McDonald’s All-Americans during the Calipari era, including
six in the 2013 class.
Fox led Cypress Lakes (Katy, Texas)
with a pair of back-to-back 40-point performances in the Texas high school
state playoffs before falling in the regional finals. During the regular season
he scored 30 or more points in 20 games, 40 or more eight times and even hit
the 50-point mark in February.
Fox is rated as high as No. 2 overall in the
rankings by 247Sports. Scout ranks him at No. 4, Rivals has him at No. 5 and
ESPN tabs him No. 7. Scout and 247Sports both rank the five-star prospect as
the No. 1 point guard in the talented 20 16
group. He participated in the 2015 USA Basketball Junior National Team
minicamp, made the 2015-16 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team in
September and will play in the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
Adebayo will join Kentucky out of
High Point Christian Academy in High Point, N.C., where he averaged 18.9 points
and 13.0 rebounds his senior season. He led High Point Christian Academy to an
appearance in the state title game.
Adebayo is ranked in the top 10 by ESPN (No. 4) and Rivals
(No. 7). 247Sports (No. 15) and Scout (No. 15) tab him as a top-15 prospect in
the 2016 class. He has prior USA Basketball experience and was named a MaxPreps
All-American in 2013. He’s also slated to play in the Jordan Brand Classic on
April 15.
Killeya-Jones was a double-double
machine during his final season at Virginia Episcopal in Lynchburg, Va.,
posting 13 games with at least 20 points and at least 10 rebounds.
A long, athletic big man considered
to have a ton of upside, Killeya-Jones is a consensus top-10 forward in the
class of 2016. The 6-foot-10, 207-pound forward is a highly skilled offensive
post player who is a consensus top-30 player. 274Sports ranks him 14th overall,
Rivals has him 26th, ESPN has him at No. 27 and Scout tabs him at No. 30.
Monk is considered the top shooting guard in the class. At 6-foot-4,
185 pounds, Monk is a long and athletic guard that can both shoot it and make
plays off the dribble. The consensus five-star prospect is ranked No. 5 overall
in the 2016 class by 247Sports, No. 6 by Rivals and Scout, and No. 8 by ESPN.
In a season in which he averaged
28.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists at taking Bentonville High School
(Lepanto, Ark.), Monk’s season highlights include a single-game school scoring
record with 53 points. He, who was named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball Men’s
Junior National Team in September, led Bentonville to the state championship
game. He will also play in the Jordan Brand Classic.
Kentucky has signed 57 McDonald’s
All-Americans since the team began in 1977, including current Wildcats Isaiah
Briscoe (2015), Marcus Lee (2013), Alex Poythress (2012) and Tyler Ulis (2014).
Former and current Wildcats who
played in the McDonald’s All-America Game previously during Calipari’s tenure
include: Devin Booker (2014), Briscoe (2015), DeMarcus Cousins (2009), Anthony
Davis(2011), Archie Goodwin (2012), Aaron Harrison (2013), Andrew Harrison
(2013), Dakari Johnson(2013), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2011), Terrence Jones
(2010), Brandon Knight (2010), Doron Lamb (2010), Lee (2013), Trey Lyles
(2014), Poythress (2012), Julius Randle(2013), Marquis Teague (2011),
Karl-Anthony Towns (2014), Ulis (2014), Kyle Wiltjer(2011) and James Young
(2013).
For the latest on the Kentucky
men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
2015-16 All-USA Boys Basketball Teams
First Team:
De’Aaron Fox
Second Team: Malik Monk
Third Team: Bam Adebayo
