McDonald’s All-American games are returning for the 48th edition, and they have some help in keeping things interesting. Of course, the top 24 players from across the country are setting the stage. Nate Ament and the Boozer Twins are ready to battle it out with the No.1 recruit, while women’s East face a challenge in the top 3 of their class on the opposing side. But who better to bring the lights than two of the most cherished on the platform? Carmelo Anthony leads, and Angel Reese has hopped on.
With McD’s dropping their first-ever All-American Game Happy Meal, the tension between Reese and Melo is heating up — and the Chicago Sky star is laying claim to the crown. No, it is not the meal sales or the scores on the court, but around something the Happy Meal had packed within— a miniature hoop toy!
In the promo video, Melo effortlessly sinks three mini-shots, and all the while, he was boastful of his skill: “Oh, that’s one. Ah, there we go. That’s two. See, because of the way that you angled it, I’m gonna give you some tips. That was easy.”
Even with a toy hoop, Melo’s shot is as smooth as ever. And that’s when Angel Reese jumped in.
The Chi-Town Barbie slid into the comments and fired off a playful but confident challenge: “brb going to try to beat his high score.” It didn’t stop there — McDonald’s themselves stoked the fire by replying, “oh it’s ON.” Just like that, the hype turned into a full-blown face-off.
The limited-edition meal highlights some of the biggest names in basketball history. It includes Carmelo, Sabrina Ionescu, Aaron Gordon, and Angel Reese. McDonald’s even called it “celebrating McDonald’s historic legacy with the sport with the next generation of greats, one fry at a time.”
For the Chicago Sky star, this is personal. “My biggest dream was to always be a McDonald’s All-American,” Reese told Just Women’s Sports. But she missed out on that moment in high school because of the pandemic. Now? She’s making up for it in a big way. “Obviously I’m a basketball player, but one day the ball will stop, and I always wanted to be more than that,” Reese said. “To know I’m listed with some of the [McDonald’s] greats obviously is a great feeling. It’s bigger than basketball.”
So when Melo casually dropped those three shots in the video, Reese took notice. With her new McDonald’s status and a growing list of WNBA names, don’t be surprised if Reese comes for Melo’s record next.
Angel Reese stepping into the W legacy
For Angel Reese, it’s always been about more than just scoring points. She’s serious about her image and wants the world to know that women’s basketball has always been cutting edge.
“Lisa Leslie, she’s been a face, putting on her gloss and makeup for games,” Reese said. “Skylar [Diggins-Smith]’s been into fashion. They were wearing Skylar’s jerseys — Drake, Wayne. You’ve got to realize this has been going on.”
Reese is stepping into that legacy. She became the first female athlete to have her own McDonald’s meal last month and it’s a part of the bigger picture. “I want somebody to be able to go to McDonald’s and get a cup with Angel Reese’s face on it. Like, who doesn’t want to do that?” she had said proudly.
She’s now starting for Rose BC in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, learning from WNBA vets who’ve paved the way. “I’m learning everything from the vets,” she said. At 22, this Chi Barbie is juggling it all.
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