**UPDATE** Rawle Alkins was named the MVP of the 43rd annual Capital Classic after going for 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks as the USA All Stars beat the Capital All Stars 118-116 on Thursday at Catholic University.**
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1SBY899n50]
Rawle Alkins wasn’t selected for either the McDonald’s All-American Game or the Jordan Brand Classic, but he’s excited for the two All-Star games he will compete in this week to close out his high school career.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Arizona signee will play in the Capital Classic on Thursday night at Catholic University, and will then fly to California for the Ballislife All-American Game on Saturday in Long Beach.
“This is right up there for me,” Alkins said Wednesday by phone from D.C. “This is the Capitol Classic, so I look at it as an honor, a great opportunity.”
Some of Alkins teammates on the U.S. All Stars in the Capital Classic include Shamorie Ponds (St. John’s). T.J. Gibbs (Notre Dame), Jagan Mosely (Georgetown) and Lamar Stevens (Penn State).
As for the Ballislife Game, Alkins will be joined by Ponds, his future Arizona teammate Terrance Ferguson, Michigan State signee Miles Bridges and UCLA-bound T.J. Leaf and Lonzo Ball, among others.
In Washington, D.C., Ponds got in the ear of Alkins, a Brooklyn native, about why he didn’t pick St. John’s.
“Just a little bit,” Ponds said. “I just asked him what was up, why he didn’t come. He said he did what was best for him.”
Alkins will head to Arizona as part of a loaded recruiting class that includes Ferguson, point guard Kobi Simmons and power forward Lauri Markkanen. The Wildcats also add redshirt small forward Ray Smith.
Just as he knew about Simmons’ pledge before it became public, Alkins said he knew Ferguson was coming to the desert, too.
“It wasn’t a surprise, I knew he was going to go there,” Alkins said of Ferguson’s April 13th pledge. “I think I was the only person he told before he committed.”
Ferguson was named the MVP of the Nike Hoop Summit after making a record seven three-pointers in the USA’s 101-67 win over the World Team.
“Me and him aren’t the same type of player,” Alkins said. “He’s a three-point shooter, he knocks it down from anywhere above halfcourt. He can step in and make a halfcourt shot consistently, so he’s a great player, plays great defense.”
Alkins said he and his fellow recruits are all tight.
“Yeah, we all cool,” he said. “We have a group chat so it’s like we’re a whole group that’s not familiar with each other. We all know each other.”
Sources said Alkins will play the one, two and three at Arizona and he said head coach Sean Miller has preached the concept of positionless basketball to his players.
“He’s telling us right now the league right now is just a positionless league,” Alkins said. “No one really has a position, like what is Draymond Green? And what is LeBron James? They’re not really anything, so we’re just basketball players. [Miller] said if he had to guess [my position] would be shooting guard.”
Much has been made of the fact that Arizona has six or seven guys for three positions — with Alkins, Simmons, Ferguson, Smith and returning guards Allonzo Trier, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Kadeem Allen.
But Alkins isn’t concerned.
“I can’t tell you how it’s going to work out now, we would have to wait and see,” Alkins said. “From my understanding, I think we’re going to be really good. We’re going to have a mixture of both experienced guys and guys that are new to this. Everybody is ready to play, I know I am, so I think the best players will always be on the floor.”
Alkins can’t wait to get to Arizona.
“I want to go as soon as possible, but I’m not sure [when I’m leaving] right now,” he said.
The Wildcats were bounced by Wichita State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and Alkins said he and his future teammates can’t wait to get redemption.
“That’s not an option for us,” he said of losing early. “This year they didn’t win the Pac-12, so it’s a whole different ballgame. That’s kind of our expectation as a recruiting class. I’m not going to go out on a ledge and say we guarantee it but I feel very confident that we definitely have what it takes and I feel like we can just shock the country.”
NRawle Alkins wasn’t selected for either the McDonald’s All-American Game or the Jordan Brand Classic, but he’s excited for the two All-Star games he will compete in this week.
