ESPN Rise boys' high school basketball All-Americans

An All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not compete together as a unit, the term is used in U.S. team sports to refer to players who are selected by members of the national media. Walter Camp selected the first All-America team in the early days of American football in 1889.[1] Chuck Taylor made the first boys' high school basketball All-American selections in 1949.[2] The ESPN RISE boys' high school basketball All-American (2009–2011), formerly EA Sports boys' high school basketball All-American (2005–2008) and Student Sports boys' high school basketball All-American (1989–2004),[3][4] is an annual honorary list that includes twenty first team All-American selections of the best high school basketball players for a given season.

Each season the team is determined by the ESPN HS staff based solely on high school accomplishment, regardless of professional potential.[5] A second team of thirty additional players is also chosen. Additionally, a single person has been recognized as Mr. Basketball USA since 1996.[6]

This is considered to be one of the four current major boys' high school basketball All-American teams along with the Parade All-America and USA Today All-USA high school basketball teams, which are chosen after each season, as well as the preseason Street & Smith All-American team.[2] Student Sports Magazine's executive editor Mark Tennis began overseeing All-America selections by the magazine in 1989, with a process that also chooses All-American teams by class (seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen).[2] In 2005, EA Sports presented the Student Sports selections.[7]

  1. ^ The Michigan alumnus. University of Michigan Library. 2010. p. 495. ASIN B0037HO8MY.
  2. ^ a b c Hough, Doug (2007). "History of Prep Boys Basketball All America Selections". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
  3. ^ "ESPN Acquires Student Sports, Inc. For High-School Sports Initiative ESPN RISE". CBS News. June 12, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  4. ^ "2007 EA SPORTS Boys Basketball All-Americans". Rivals. April 17, 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2022. The annual EA SPORTS All-American Team is selected by the editors of Student Sports, which have named all-american teams and compiled national rankings in numerous sports for nearly 20 years.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2011EAA1t was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Flores, Ronnie (April 13, 2011). "All-time Mr. Basketball USA picks". ESPN HS. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  7. ^ "2005 EA Sports All-American Basketball Team". Rivals.com. April 11, 2005. Retrieved January 22, 2012.