Braylon Mullins finally got the ball outside the 3-point line at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center Tuesday night and drove to his left, then spun back right and put up a mid-range shot over AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 high school class.
The shot fell, avoiding a completely scoreless night for the trio of incoming UConn men’s basketball freshmen who earned a spot in the McDonald’s All American Game, the premiere all-star event for the best 24 high school seniors in the nation.
Mullins finished with just those two points on 1-for-2 shooting, his only other attempt being a transition 3-pointer that hit off the rim. He didn’t get as many touches as he would’ve liked, as it goes in an all-star game, but looked the part of the Huskies’ most complete recruit as he hauled down a rebound, grabbed two steals and dished a pair of assists – his teammates’ missed shots prevented a few more.
Eric Reibe, the 7-foot German-born center, started the game for the East squad alongside Mullins and showed off a quality 3-point stroke but couldn’t find the bottom of the net. He finished 0-for-2, both from beyond the arc, with a rebound and two first half fouls, though he did avoid what appeared to be a monster dunk attempt from Dybantsa, who is headed to BYU.
Top UConn recruits to ‘show a little preview’ of next season during McDonald’s All-American Game
Darius Adams came off the bench midway through the second quarter and the 6-foot-5 guard got one of his three assists early, but his 3-point shot was off as he finished 0-for-3 with four rebounds. His focus coming to Storrs will be on getting stronger, the need proving itself as he turned the ball over four times, mostly when he tried to drive into the lane and was met with a much bigger body. Despite the size difference, Adams held his own on the defensive end and was mostly able to stay in front of the ball.
It was a small sample size for the Huskies’ three “Burger Boys,” the most the program’s ever had in the McDonald’s Game, as the top recruits – third-ranked Duke commit Cameron Boozer, in particular – stole the show. Boozer was named East MVP as he shot 6-for-12 for 16 points and 12 rebounds, no assists. Darren Peterson, a Kansas commit and the No. 2 player in the class, was MVP for the West, which won the game, 105-92, after he posted 18 points (7-for-14), seven rebounds and three assists.
UConn’s four-man class, ranked third in the nation, also includes hard-nosed Australian wing and another top-100 recruit in Jacob Furphy. It remains uncertain who that group will join in Storrs, with only sophomore forward Jaylin Stewart announcing his decision to return as of Wednesday morning.
Final score for the McDonald’s All-American Game:
West – 105East – 92
Proud of how you played @mullins_braylon !! @CougarHoops2 pic.twitter.com/YYGeZehC4f
— GCHS Cougars (@GCCougars) April 2, 2025
The Huskies have had four players enter the transfer portal in Isaiah Abraham, Ahmad Nowell, Aidan Mahaney and Youssouf Singare. Star freshman Liam McNeeley, a former McDonald’s All American himself, announced his decision to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft, where he is projected to be a first-round pick, if not in the lottery. Alex Karaban has yet to make his decision about the draft and Solo Ball could decide to test the waters, though he’s an important piece the Huskies want back.
In an age where players have to announce they’re not going anywhere for anyone to be sure they’re returning, Jayden Ross hasn’t made a decision either way and neither has center Tarris Reed Jr., who could return for what is sure to be a strong second year in Storrs but whose development likely attracted other programs to make him a potential transfer candidate.
UConn searching for a point guard, hosted Georgia’s Silas Demary Jr. on Tuesday and has also reportedly expressed interest in 6-foot-4 Maryland guard Rodney Rice, Dayton’s Malachi Smith, UCF’s Keyshawn Hall and Quinnipiac forward Amarri Monroe, among others.
Originally Published: April 2, 2025 at 12:07 PM EDT
