USA TODAY High School Sports is unveiling the 2015-16 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Boys Basketball Teams as selected by Jim Halley with input from USA TODAY Sports’ Jason Jordan, high school coaches and recruiting experts.
FIRST TEAM: Honoring the top players
VIDEO: Our breakdown of the first team
COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Baik, Chino Hills (Calif.)
SECOND TEAM: See who made the second team
THIRD TEAM: See who made the third team
PLAYER PROFILE:
Name: Lonzo Ball
School: Chino Hills, Calif.
Position: Guard
Height: 6-5
College: Signed with UCLA
Details: Led his team to a 35-0 record, the state Open Division Championship and the No. 1 spot in the Super 25 ranking. He averaged 23.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game and was the Gatorade State Player of the Year.
Favorite teacher: Mrs. (Soko) Cisneroz. She was at Chino Hills for English, but she just left this year. She was focused on me off the court. She just helped to make sure my head was OK. She was more than a teacher. She was like a friend too.
People say I look like: A lot of people say I look like Drake.
High point of the season: Winning state was the goal the whole year. That’s the biggest accomplishment.
The difference this year: Just the new guys, Eli (Scott), LaMelo (Ball) and O (Onyeka Okongwu) were part of the new dynamic of the team. Those three guys alone changed the makeup of our team and now we’re undefeated.
Should college athletes speak out politically: I feel like everybody should have a voice, but at the end of the day, they have to focus on what they they’re to do, if they’re student athletes.
Playground ball in South Central Los Angeles: We used to play down there all the time when we were little and then somebody got shot when we were playing and now we don’t go up there anymore.
First car I drove: My dad’s truck, his Escalade.
My ideal ride: Probably an all-black Bugatti.
Lesson my dad taught me: To be grateful.
Second-favorite sport: Football, but I played baseball. I quit when I got to high school. I was a shortstop and a pitcher. My out pitch was just a straight fastball.
Hidden talent: I like to rap. I’ve written a few lyrics.