DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, and Hannah Hidalgo reflect on McDonald’s All American experience

HOUSTON — The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on DJ Wagner.

Wearing the famed All American uniform, versions of which had once been worn by his father and grandfather, not to mention Kobe Bryant, one of his favorite players, whose shoes he was wearing, Wagner came alive when the lights were brightest. He scored all 19 of his points in the second half of the East team’s 109-106 win over the West in Tuesday’s edition of the boys’ McDonald’s All American Game.

The Philly-area ties ran through the game, as it was Wagner, whose father, Dajuan, and grandfather, Milt, were Camden stars in their own right, who sparked the East’s second-half rally along with Panthers teammate Aaron Bradshaw and Imhotep’s Justin Edwards. In wearing Bryant’s shoes, Wagner paid homage to Bryant, whose legend began at Lower Merion.

That chemistry fueled the comeback, and it was evident as soon as the Kentucky-bound trio stepped on the court.

“I feel like the whole team had great chemistry, but when it comes to me and Aaron, we’ve been playing together for a long time, so it’s natural when we step on the court with each other,” said Wagner, who was the boys’ game co-MVP with USC signee Isaiah Collier. “We know each other’s moves and what we like to do and what we don’t like to do. … I feel that’s just natural just from us playing together and being around each other so much.”

Bradshaw echoed Wagner’s sentiment, adding: “We’re just real comfortable with each other. I know when to set a screen or how to set a screen because I know how he likes to come off his left hand, or however he likes to do it, and just learning how to play together for years.”

Bradshaw finished with 18 points and eight rebounds and was the boys’ sportsmanship award winner. Edwards added 11 points.

» READ MORE: Rasheed Wallace once funded a girls’ basketball team. Years later, it helped Justin Edwards become an All-American.

Bradshaw, Edwards, and Wagner weren’t the only local athletes to show out Tuesday night. Hannah Hidalgo, who starred at Paul VI and is taking her talents to Notre Dame, set the girls’ game record with 26 points and added a game record-tying eight steals to go with five assists in the East’s 110-102 loss to the West, which was a game record, too. For her efforts, she was named co-MVP with USC-bound Juju Watkins. Hidalgo had possibly the highlight of the evening when she hit a three from well beyond the arc as time expired in the third quarter.

“We’re the next generation, and we see all these girls and how great these girls are and all the people that were in double digits at the same time, it’s definitely preparing us for college and the next level,” Hidalgo said. “It’s an honor to go against these girls who are college-ready now.”

Another theme ran through each players’ words — that the experience isn’t one they’ll soon forget.

“My favorite moment was really just being here around this great group of guys,” Bradshaw said. “Learning from all of them, competing with all of them, practicing, just even being in the hotel, just getting to know each other. I wouldn’t really say I have a favorite moment; just being here itself is a blessing. I’m just happy to be here.”

» READ MORE: As Justin Edwards’ high school career ends at Imhotep, he leaves behind a standard for other Philly players