Six boys basketball players from state chosen to play in McDonald’s All-American game, tied for most California honorees in one year

Six California competitors were among the 24 athletes chosen to compete on the West roster April 1 in the 48th McDonald’s All-American boys basketball game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Prolific Prep of Napa teammates Niko Bundalo, a Washington commit, and Kansas signee Darryn Peterson are joined by Alijah Arenas of Chatsworth, Brayden Burries from Eastvale Roosevelt, Duke commit Nik Khamenia of Harvard-Westlake and Baylor signee Tounde Yessoufou from Santa Maria St. Joseph.

The six selections from California ties the most boys basketball players chosen for the event since there were also a half-dozen honorees in 2020.

Florida has five athletes selected to play in this year’s contest.

Bundalo and Peterson follow Prolific Prep standouts Vazoumana Diallo, Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell, who were selected to participate in last year’s event.

Prolific Prep has had athletes selected to play in the boys basketball contest six years in a row and nine times during the past decade.

Darryn Peterson, left, and Niko Bundalo of Prolific Prep boys basketball team | Photo courtesy of Prolific Prep

Khamenia joined former Harvard-Westlake teammate Trent Perry, who was chosen last year, to compete in the contest.

The Wolverines were also represented in 1997 by twin brothers Jarron Collins and Jason Collins.

Arenas, Burries and Yessoufou are the first boys basketball players from their respective schools to be selected to compete in the McDonald’s All-American game.

It marks the 14th consecutive year that California is represented in the boys basketball event.

California has been showcased with at least one competitor in 45 of the previous 47 contests, including every year from 1977 to 2009. The state didn’t feature a boys basketball selection in 2010 and 2011.

The Sprite JamFest is scheduled for March 31, with the 3-point shootout, slam dunk contest and knockout game part of the festivities.