The annual McDonald's All-American Star Game ended with unprecedented attention because of the presence of one man, his name: LeBron James II!
Brownie was not only selected for the McDonald's All-American Star Game, but also participated in the McDonald's High School Slam Dunk Contest yesterday.
Brownie scored 65 points (70 out of 70) and 57 points in the first two dunks to reach the final. In the final, Brownie scored 63 points over his brother Bryce on the first dunk, and he only needed 58 points to win the championship on the second dunk, but he tried several crotch dunks but failed to complete and eventually finished runner-up.
In today's McDonald's High School All-American Star Game, Brownie scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the three-point line.
He equalled the likes of JR Smith and ranked second on the McDonald's All-Star Game three-point list in a single game, behind Gerard Green's record of six in 2005.
After this game, DJ Wagner, the second-best high school student in the United States who scored 19 points in the second half to lead the team to win the MVP, did not cause much discussion, and the media talked about Brownie's performance.
Jonathan Kivoney, a well-known NBA draft analyst, wrote after the game: "15 points, 5-of-8 three-pointers, Brownie's outstanding performance in the McDonald's All-American Star Game proved why he will be in the top 10 of the 2024 draft predictions, and he also played a strong defense, showing his extraordinary sense of the game." ”
LeBron James came to the game to support his son, and posted a comparison photo of the two participating in the McDonald's High School All-Star Game on social media, lamenting that time flies.
Before that, many fans and media arbitrarily believed that Brownie's selection into McDonald's All-American Team relied on his father's fame. After today, a large part of the population is beginning to be willing to admit that Brownie is really powerful.
It may seem that Brownie's basketball talent can't reach his father's heights, but that doesn't hide his brilliance.
Brownie, a 1.90m-tall dual-guard who has gained weight over the past year and is now 190 pounds, heavier than his Uncle Curry.
At the age of 18, he has already shown his characteristics, he is not the kind of player who will be the team's number one offensive choice, but a versatile all-rounder.
Brownie is a good defender, smart playmaker, reliable three-point shooter and vocal leader with an incredible sense of the game.
Defense is what sets Brownie apart the most, and he's one of the best defenders of his class.
Brownie's main position in college and NBA will be point guard.
He is a very intelligent blocker who is able to observe the situation on the field and read the defense correctly, while passing the ball out in various ways. His quick attack selection is excellent, and he can quickly determine whether to attack the basket or pass the ball to an open teammate in a quick transition.
His rebounding ability is above average for his position, plus he's proven he has the potential to be a great shooter.
Brownie's jump shot is excellent, his shooting skills are great, his shooting posture is simple and fast, and he already has NBA three-point range.
Brownie's main drawback at the moment is instability.
He rivals the best players of his generation on some nights and contributes little in some games.
He didn't fully inherit his father's terrifying explosiveness and athleticism, and his bounce was not bad, but not otherwise top-notch.
Brownie also doesn't have the passing ability of a top defender and has a hard time getting rid of defenders by dribbling.
Regarding his template, there are several in the draft report: Avery Bradley, who has a higher ceiling, Jordan Hill, who is more physical, and Marcus Smart who is slightly weaker defensively but better at three-point shooting.
Aside from basketball skills, Brownie has shown that he has a big heart that can withstand a lot of pressure.
As James's eldest son, Brownie has received a lot of attention since he was a child, and the attention has increased since he started playing AAU at the age of 10, and has shown exponential growth after entering high school.
Since he was in high school, James has used his media company to cover Brownie games, bringing him more attention than any high school student.
James's good intentions are understandable, he has not had his father by his side since he was a child, and he hopes to be a perfect father and plan everything for Brownie.
Backed by James's business empire, Brownie is currently the most valuable high school student in the United States, and he has received multiple high school endorsement contracts, with a valuation of $7.2 million, ranking second in the United States with only $1.2 million.
He has a combined social media following of more than 12 million and 7.04 million followers on INS, more than Embiid, Tatum, Booker and Zion, among other middle- and new-generation NBA stars.
With the help of his father, Brownie gained the attention that ordinary people could not seek, and at the same time had to bear immeasurable pressure.
James, like all fathers, likes to show off his son, and always praises his son in front of the world's media, and even openly declares on social media that "Brownie is definitely better than some cats and dogs in the NBA."
The words came out of James's mouth, but the pressure would eventually be passed on to Brownie.
In his senior season, Brownie averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, which is far from the numbers of talented high school students we've heard, but they are excellent.
However, he is the son of LeBron James, and his name is LeBron James II, and such a performance is not satisfactory enough.
In the face of so much pressure, Brownie did not show any rebellion and collapse. He accepted the challenge and acted very calmly, establishing an image of being very polite, quiet, patient and low-key.
Brownie is the only player to play in the McDonald's Stars Game that still hasn't decided which college to attend.
He received offers from multiple prestigious schools, but was not eager to choose, James paved his way into the NBA early, and going to college was like a show.
James announced last year that he would play a season with his son before retiring, which will be the first time in NBA history that father and son are on the same team, and there will be huge traffic and business opportunities behind it.
Selecting Brownie to send James may be the best draft in NBA history, and many teams will not miss this opportunity.
All Brownie needed to do was write his own color on the road paved for him by his father.