Four UK recruits to play in McDonald's All-American Game (copy)

Four Kentucky basketball signees have been named to the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game.

Aaron Bradshaw, Justin Edwards, DJ Wagner and Reed Sheppard will participate in the annual event, which will take place Tuesday, March 28 in Houston.

Bradshaw, Edwards and Wagner will suit up for the East team while Sheppard will compete for the West. Kentucky led all schools with the most selections. The Wildcats were followed by Duke (3) and Oregon and Michigan State (2).

Top-10 prospect and UK signee Robert Dillingham of Overtime Elite was not eligible for selection.

The four McDonald’s All-Americans bring John Calipari’s 15-year total at Kentucky to 44, the most of any school since 2009. The Wildcats have had a total of 79 McDonald’s All-Americans since 1978 and multiple McDonald’s All-Americans in 12 of 15 classes in the Calipari era.

This marks the sixth time Kentucky has had at least four McDonald’s All-American selections, joining 2013 (6), 2017 (5), 2016 (4), 2014 (4) and 2011 (4).

The Wildcats have the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class according to the industry average 247Sports Composite. Bradshaw, Edwards, Wagner, Dillingham and Sheppard each signed National Letters of Intent with the school during the early signing period in November.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this class,” Calipari said back in the fall. “We have five talented and dynamic players who have the drive and commitment it takes to succeed at Kentucky. They all know this isn’t for everyone, and they have welcomed that challenge and want to be pushed not only by our coaching staff, but by other really good players every day. Their potential to be great is there, now it is up to them to embrace this stage and come in every day ready to work. All five of these guys are winners. They’ve won at the highest levels and know how to impact winning in a number of ways. This is a group that the Big Blue Nation is going to want to cheer for.”

The full rosters

East

• Xavier Booker, C, Michigan State
• Aaron Bradshaw, C, UK
• Matas Buzelis, SF/G League Ignite
• Stephon Castle, PG, UConn
• Justin Edwards, SF, UK
• Kwame Evans, PF, Oregon
• Aden Holloway, PG, Auburn
• Elmarko Jackson, SG, Kansas
• Mackenzie Mgbako, Duke
• Sean Stewart, PF, Duke
• D.J. Wagner, PG, UK

West

• Omaha Biliew, PF, Iowa State
• Isaiah Collier, PG, USC
• Mookie Cook, SF, Oregon
• Baye Fall, C, Arkansas
• Jeremy Fears, PG, Michigan State
• Brandon Garrison, C, Oklahoma State
• Ron Holland, PF, Texas
• Bronny James, PG, Undecided
• Jared McCain, SF, Duke
• Reed Sheppard, SG, UK
• Andrej Stojakovic, SF, Stanford
• Ja’Kobe Walter, SG, Baylor
• Cody Williams, SF, Colorado