Paul VI’s Hannah Hidalgo is a McDonald’s All American; Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner, and Aaron Bradshaw also make cut

“Just checking it off my bucket list," said Hidalgo, who has signed with Notre Dame. The boys' All-Americans include Imhotep's Justin Edwards and Camden's D.J. Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw.

Paul VI's Hannah Hidalgo, playing in the Chosen League in August, will be one of the area's representatives in the McDonald's All American Games.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

by Isabella DiAmore

Published Jan. 24, 2023, 3:52 p.m. ET

When Paul VI played Morris Catholic in Denville, N.J., on Jan. 28, Hannah Hidalgo’s 41-point eruption caught the attention of the crowd. After the Eagles’ victory, she was approached by someone she thought was a reporter, who said: “I have this jacket for you.”

The unnamed man handed her a McDonald’s All American Kobe Bryant jacket with No. 33 stitched on the back. In shock, but feeling grateful, she accepted the gift.

“He ended up giving it to me without anything, no announcements,” Hidalgo said. “I don’t even think nominations were out yet. I thought, ‘Wow what a coincidence.’”

And on Tuesday afternoon, Hidalgo pulled out the late Hall of Famer’s jacket as the rosters for the 2023 McDonald’s All American Games were announced.

Gathered inside the Paul VI cafeteria, the school’s cheerleaders, the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams, friends, and family celebrated as Hidalgo, the No. 5 recruit in the class of 2023, became the second McDonald’s All-American in school history.

Three boys’ players from the Philadelphia and South Jersey area also made the cut for the McDonald’s All-American Game. Imhotep Charter’s Justin Edwards was selected along with two stars from Camden, D.J. Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw. Edwards is ESPN’s No. 1 high school senior, and Wagner is No. 2.

The boys’ and girls’ games are March 28 in Houston.

“It’s been my dream since I was young to go all the way to the WNBA,” said Hidalgo, who has signed with Notre Dame. “Just checking it off my bucket list, being able to make McDonald’s All American and USA team. Especially this moment right here. A lot of girls would love to be in this position, and not many of them make it there, so it really means a lot.”

Hidalgo has assembled quite the resumé with the Eagles. The five-star player has been seen as an undersized point guard, standing 5-foot-7, but her speed, shooting, and ballhandling have made up for it. With Paul VI sitting at 14-1, Hidalgo is averaging 31.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.0 steals this season.

All three of the area’s All-Americans in the boys’ game have signed with Kentucky.

Wagner is Camden’s scoring leader at 20.5 points per game, and the 7-foot Bradshaw is averaging 9.6 rebounds. The Panthers are 14-2 this season under first-year head coach Maalik Wayns, who played at Roman Catholic and Villanova.

Imhotep (15-2) is No. 6 in the nation, according to MaxPreps, and powered by the high-flying Edwards, a 6-7 small forward.

Camden and Imhotep will square off at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Joseph’s Hagan Arena.

Also selected to the boys’ roster was Elmarko Jackson, a point guard who played last season for the Academy of the New Church and later signed with Kansas.

This year’s All-American nominees come from 44 states, plus Washington, D.C. Among those nominees were 26 girls from New Jersey and 11 from Pennsylvania, while the boys had nine nominations from New Jersey and six from Pennsylvania.