The 10 highest-ranked players who did not make the McDonald’s All American game

The 2026 McDonald’s All American rosters were released on Monday, naming 24 high school standouts for the 48th annual game set for March 31 at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. While the event remains a top showcase for future college and professional talent, several of the highest-ranked prospects in the 2026 Rivals150 were not included on the roster. Some absences were due to injuries that rendered players ineligible; others appear to be purely selection decisions. Below we identify the 10 highest-ranked players in the Rivals150 who did not make the McDonald’s All American list and explain what their omissions mean for recruiting exposure and evaluations.

Key Takeaways

• The 48th McDonald’s All American game will be played March 31, 2026, at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, AZ; the matchup features 24 selected players.
• Ten of the top 32 players in the 2026 Rivals150 were left off the roster; ranks for those players run from No. 10 to No. 32.
• Injuries made three high-profile prospects ineligible: five-star-plus PG Dylan Mingo, five-star forward Baba Oladotun, and four-star forward Qayden Samuels.
• The list of omitted players includes five-star guard Bryson Howard (No. 10) and five-star Abdou Toure (No. 11), both with high collegiate profiles.
• Several omissions involve players already committed to Power Five programs: Duke, Arkansas, UConn, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Illinois, and Michigan State appear among their college affiliations.
• Absence from the game reduces one national showcase opportunity for these prospects but does not remove other evaluation avenues such as college programs, summer events, and national media coverage.

Background

Since its inaugural class in 1978, the McDonald’s All American Game has served as one of the premier post-season showcases for elite high school basketball players. Alumni include multiple future NBA stars and Hall of Famers; the event often provides national TV exposure and a concentrated opportunity for scouts and coaches to assess talent against peer-level competition. Selection has historically balanced season performance, national rankings, and availability, with the event’s organizers prioritizing both on-court accomplishments and players’ ability to participate.

Over the decades the roster has been a reliable barometer of top-level prep talent: names like Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant are among past MVPs. For 2026, the selection pool reflected the usual mix of consensus five-star prospects and highly rated four-star players from across the country. Still, the final roster size—24 players—means some highly ranked prospects will inevitably be left out, for reasons ranging from injury to selection committee choices.

Main Event

The official roster announcement on Monday confirmed the 24 participants who will represent the Class of 2026 on March 31 in Phoenix. Organizers and media emphasized the game’s long history and the cumulative resume of selected athletes, while also noting that injuries and availability were factors in the final invitations. Three notable names—Dylan Mingo, Baba Oladotun, and Qayden Samuels—were specifically reported as dealing with injuries during the high school season, which affected their eligibility.

Beyond those injury cases, the selection process left several high-ranked, healthy prospects off the roster. Among the highest-ranked players omitted are Bryson Howard (No. 10, Duke), Abdou Toure (No. 11, Arkansas), and Colben Landrew (No. 15, UConn). Some omissions reflect the tight margins of selection when only 24 slots are available across positions and regions; others reflect the committee’s evaluation priorities for this class.

The full list of the 10 highest-ranked players from the 2026 Rivals150 who did not make the roster is below. Each entry includes the player’s Rivals ranking, listed college (when available), and the positional/physical details provided in pre-release scouting information. These players remain widely watched by college programs and pro scouts despite their absence from the McDonald’s event.

Analysis & Implications

Missing the McDonald’s All American Game reduces one high-visibility showcase for these prospects, but it does not erase their recruiting narratives. For committed players—those already with Power Five destinations—the direct impact on scholarship status is limited; colleges continue to evaluate players through in-season tape, on-campus workouts, and summer circuits. However, for borderline or late-blooming prospects, the game can accelerate national recognition and future NIL interest, meaning omission can be a lost opportunity for some individual exposure.

Injuries that prevented eligibility for Dylan Mingo, Baba Oladotun, and Qayden Samuels are significant because they remove both evaluation reps and a chance to demonstrate recovery and competitiveness against top peers. Medical red flags can raise short-term questions about readiness, even when the long-term projection remains positive. Programs and scouts will instead rely on medical updates, college workouts, and constrained availability to reassess those players’ trajectories.

There is also a positional and stylistic element in play: selection committees balance frontcourt and backcourt representation, and this year’s roster composition may have favored other skill sets or regional representation. For NBA scouts monitoring 2026 and beyond, All-American participation is one of many data points; a player’s tape, measurable upside, and performance in high-level summer leagues often weigh as heavily in long-term evaluations.

Comparison & Data

The table above highlights that the ten omitted players span a range of positions and physical profiles—from Ethan Taylor’s 7-1 center frame to Miles Sadler’s 5-11 point guard size—illustrating the committee faced trade-offs across positions. Historically, a substantial portion of McDonald’s All Americans go on to be high-level college contributors and, in many cases, NBA draftees; however, omission is not determinative. Many past NBA players were not McDonald’s picks, and many McDonald’s picks did not become pros, so the correlation is imperfect.

Recruiting services and college staff will emphasize other comparative metrics—such as per-minute production, opponent-adjusted stats, and advanced shot profiles—over a single event appearance. For most of the 10 players listed, those alternate metrics remain accessible to evaluators through game film and summer events.

Reactions & Quotes

Selection aimed to reflect both season-long performance and player availability; in some cases, injury ruled out otherwise eligible candidates.

McDonald’s All American Committee (official)

Leaving top-15 prospects off is never an easy call; roster balance and recent form matter most to the committee.

Rivals recruiting analyst (media)

For the players, this is a setback in exposure but not a career-defining moment—college programs will still provide platforms to showcase growth.

Division I coach (anonymous)

Unconfirmed

• Whether any of the omitted players would have been selected had they been medically cleared remains unconfirmed by the selection committee.
• The precise internal deliberations and minute-by-minute vote totals from the selection process were not released and are not publicly available.
• The long-term effect of missing the game on each player’s NIL market value is uncertain and will vary by individual circumstances.

Bottom Line

The McDonald’s All American roster announcement reinforced the game’s role as a high-profile spring showcase, but the event’s 24-player limit means even top-ranked prospects can be left out. Injuries contributed to several key absences and will be a focal point for college staffs and scouts monitoring medical reports and return-to-play progress.

Omitted prospects retain multiple pathways to national prominence—college performance, summer circuit play, and targeted media exposure remain available. Fans and evaluators should watch how these players respond in the coming months, both in health updates and performance on college courts and at national events.

Sources

• On3 — roster report and player list (media)
• Rivals — national class rankings and Rivals150 (recruiting service)