It is a weird, high-stakes circus. You've got the best 24 kids in the country, most of whom are used to taking 20 shots a game, suddenly sharing one ball for 40 minutes under the bright lights of an NBA arena. Honestly, it’s a recipe for beautiful chaos. When you look at mcdonalds all american game stats, people usually just hunt for the next LeBron or Kobe. But if you actually dig into the numbers from the 2025 game at Barclays Center or the historical record books, you start to see where the real "pro" DNA hides.
It isn't always about who scores 30.
In fact, only two players have ever hit that mark in the boys' game. We'll get to them. But first, let's talk about what just happened in Brooklyn.
The 2025 Breakdown: Boozer and Peterson Take Over
The West ended a drought. Before the 2025 showcase, the East had been on a bit of a tear, winning three straight. But the West squad—led by Kansas-bound Darryn Peterson—put up a 105-92 win that felt more dominant than the score looked. Peterson didn't just sleepwalk through this. He dropped 18 points, grabbed seven boards, and basically lived at the rim.
He shared the MVP honors with Cameron Boozer. Yeah, the son of Carlos Boozer.
The Duke commit was arguably the most polished player on the floor. He put up a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double. It’s funny because you see a lot of these kids trying to hit "mixtape" shots, but Boozer plays like a guy who’s already been in the league for five years. He was efficient, 6-of-12 from the floor, and he didn't force the issue. That’s the kind of stat line that makes NBA scouts drool.
Quick Hits from the 2025 Boys Box Score:
- AJ Dybantsa (BYU): 17 points. He’s the consensus No. 1 for a reason. His athleticism is just... different.
- Zai Harwell (Houston): 16 points on a very tidy 6-of-9 shooting.
- Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville): Led the West with 5 assists. In a game this selfish, 5 assists is basically like having 15 in a regular game.
- Nate Ament & Darius Acuff Jr.: Both chipped in 12 for the East.
The shooting percentages tell a story, too. The East shot a miserable 28.9% from three. You can tell the nerves—or maybe just the Barclays Center rims—were getting to them. The West wasn't much better from deep, but they dominated the paint 68-40. Basically, they realized early on that if you just run and dunk, you win.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the All-Time Records
Everyone remembers the MVPs, but the record books for this game are actually kind of bizarre. You’d assume Michael Jordan holds every record, right?
Wrong.
Jonathan Bender is the king of the mountain. Back in 1999, he dropped 31 points, which still stands as the single-game scoring record for the boys. Michael Jordan is the only other person to even touch 30 (he did it in 1981). After that, the list drops to 28 points, shared by guys like Paul Pierce and Nassir Little.
It's actually really hard to score in this game.
Think about it. You're playing with 11 other Alpha dogs. No coach is drawing up 15 plays for you. If you want 30, you have to be relentless on the offensive glass or just cherry-pick like crazy.
The "Unbreakable" Stat Lines
- Rebounds: Sam Perkins grabbed 24 in 1980. Twenty-four! That record is essentially safe forever because modern kids aren't staying in the paint long enough to get 24 boards.
- Assists: Lonzo Ball (2016) and Jacque Vaughn (1993) share the lead with 13. To get 13 assists in an All-American game, you basically have to refuse to shoot.
- Blocks: Ralph Sampson had 10 blocks in 1979. Shaq "only" had 6.
- Steals: Khalid Reeves is the lone member of the double-digit club with 10 steals in 1990.
The Girls' Game: Sienna Betts and the 100-Point Club
The girls' game in 2025 was a total blowout. The West won 104-82, and it honestly wasn't even that close. Sienna Betts, the UCLA commit, took home MVP honors with 16 points and seven rebounds. She was just too big and too skilled for the East to handle inside.
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The West squad almost broke the all-time scoring record of 110 (set back in 2023 by JuJu Watkins' team).
What’s interesting about the girls’ mcdonalds all american game stats lately is the pace. They are playing way faster than they used to. In the first quarter alone, the West went on an 18-0 run. The East missed their first 11 shots. That’s a "welcome to the big leagues" moment if I've ever seen one.
Aaliyah Chavez (the top recruit for many) and Jazzy Davidson both looked like they belonged on a WNBA roster tomorrow. Chavez opened the game with a smooth three, and Davidson settled everyone down when the East tried to make a run in the second.
Does Being an All-American Actually Mean Anything?
This is where the math gets spicy.
If you make this game, you have roughly a 60% chance of playing in the NBA or WNBA. That’s a staggering number. In fact, since 1977, about 51% of the participants have been drafted into the NBA.
But here is the catch: it’s not a guarantee of being a star.
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We’ve seen plenty of "Burger Boys" (as they're called) flame out in college. For every LeBron James (27 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in 2003), there is an Eddy Curry or a Jonathan Bender—guys who had the stats but couldn't quite translate that to a Hall of Fame pro career.
Scouts look for the "hidden" stats in these games. They don't care if a guy goes 1-for-10 from three. They care about:
- Defensive Lateral Quickness: Can you guard another elite 18-year-old?
- Motor: Do you run back on defense when you aren't getting the ball?
- Efficiency: Did you need 20 shots to get your 15 points?
The Takeaway for Fans and Recruiters
If you're tracking mcdonalds all american game stats to figure out who to draft in your dynasty league or who to follow in college, don't get blinded by the total points. Look at the rebounding percentages and the assist-to-turnover ratios.
In the 2025 game, the West forced 20 turnovers from the East. That’s where the game was won. It was the "ugly" stats—the deflections, the blocks, the hustle plays—that separated the Peterson/Boozer group from the rest.
If you want to keep an eye on these players as they move into the NCAA and eventually the 2026 NBA Draft:
- Watch the Shooting Splits: High school stars often struggle with the deeper college three-point line. If they shot under 30% in the All-American game, they might need a year to adjust.
- Follow the Minutes: Coaches usually play the most "reliable" kids the most minutes, even in an exhibition. Boozer’s 23 minutes led the East for a reason.
- Check the Strength: Look at how players like Caleb Wilson or Chris Cenac handled the physicality. The box score doesn't show "times knocked off balance," but the film does.
The McDonald's All-American Game is the ultimate litmus test. It’s the one time these kids can't just rely on being bigger and faster than everyone else in their hometown. When the talent levels out, the real players emerge.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a spreadsheet of these 2025 performers and compare their first 10 games in college to their All-American stat lines. The ones who maintain their efficiency are usually the ones who become one-and-done lottery picks.