Today it was announced that Chicago will become the first ever back-to-back host of the McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games when the 2012 Games take the court at the United Center on March 28. The 35th annual Boys Game will tip-off at 8:30 p.m. CT (ESPN) and will be preceded by the 11th annual Girls Game at 6:00 p.m. CT (ESPNU).
McDonald’s agreement with the United Center will keep the event in Chicago through 2012 with an option for 2013.
“The combination of outstanding fan support and world-class venues in Chicago made the 2011 McDonald’s All American Games the best ever,” said Douglas Freeland, director of the McDonald’s All American Games.
In addition to setting an all-time event attendance record, the 2011 McDonald’s All American Games in Chicago generated $625,000 in proceeds for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI). The proceeds will help build the nation’s largest Ronald McDonald House®, scheduled to open in Chicago in the summer of 2012.
The Games annually select 24 boys and 24 girls from a pool of more than 2,000 nominees nationwide. Since 1978, more than 1,000 players have competed in the McDonald’s All American Games, forming an elite list that includes some of the top names in basketball history. As part of celebrating the 35th anniversary of the event in 2012, McDonald’s will announce the 35 greatest all-time McDonald’s All Americans next year.
Famous McDonald’s All American alumni include: Isiah Thomas (1979), Dominique Wilkens (1979), Doc Rivers (1980), Michael Jordan (1981), Shaquille O’Neal (1989), Kevin Garnett (1995), Kobe Bryant (1996) LeBron James (2003), Sylvia Fowles (2004), Dwight Howard (2004), Candace Parker (2004), Kevin Durant (2006), Blake Griffin (2007), Maya Moore (2007) and Derrick Rose (2007).
Ticket information for the 2012 McDonald’s All American Games will be available closer to 2012 and will be shared on www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com, @McDonalds and Facebook.com/McDonalds
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports You can follow him on Twitter