Published Feb 14, 2013
Two Heels named McDonalds AAs
Adam Powell
TarHeelIllustrated.com Publisher
Thursday afternoon the selections were announced for the annual McDonald's All-American Game, and two future Tar Heels, Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks, were each chosen as members of the 12-man 'East' squad that will play the 'West' in Chicago's United Center at 9:00 pm Wednesday, April 3.
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Meeks and Hicks makes a total of 66 high school players since selected for the McDonald's All-American Game since the game's founding that went on to play at North Carolina---ten more than the next closest school Duke, which has had 56 players selected over the years including this year's selections Matt Jones and Jabari Parker.
Hicks and Meeks, arguably the top two players in North Carolina in the Class of 2013, are both currently in the midst of their respective high school seasons, with both schools---Meeks' West Charlotte and Hicks' Oxford Webb---among the favorites in their classifications to challenge for state titles.
This year's two McDonald's selections for UNC makes a total of 20 McDonald's All-Americans under Roy Williams since he returned to Chapel Hill approximately a decade ago.
North Carolina has had a representative in the McDonald's Game every year under Williams with exception of 2007, when the Tar Heels didn't sign any prospects.
In his first public statements about Hicks and Meeks when they signed with the Tar Heels in mid-November, Williams naturally spoke glowingly of each of them.
"Isaiah is a wonderful young man who can do things both inside and outside that will be effective at our level," he said of Hicks. "He can block shots and he can also get out on the floor and be a tremendous player."
"(Meeks) is a wonderful kid who has a very supportive family. He's done an excellent job in the classroom and has skills that will really help our team," Williams added of Meeks.
"He may be as good a passing big man as I have ever seen in half-court situations and he throws the outlet pass like Kevin Love did when he was in high school. He has great hands and can score inside."