Paige does his thing as team wins McDonald's All-American Game

CHICAGO - Marcus Paige could get used to this United Center thing.

It sure wasn't a road game at Dubuque Hempstead he played Wednesday night. The atmosphere in his home gym is outstanding, but come on.

You've hit the big time when you're playing on the home court of the Chicago Bulls, your name and jersey number are laser beamed across midcourt and you're spotlighted as you jog out to the floor. That's the way the Linn-Mar senior was introduced to a crowd of about 15,000 and a national television audience watching the prestigious McDonald's All-American Game.

"That was kind of the point where you realize 'Wow, this really is the McDonald's All-American Game,'" Paige said. "You kind of take the first couple of days here for granted, when you're doing the practices and stuff, just looking forward to this. Then when the lights come on, it's just completely different. It's nerve-racking at first. But after that, it's just basketball."

Video of the introduction

There are a lot of people that think the soon-to-be North Carolina Tar Heel could eventually play in the NBA, so this kind of treatment will be blase. But until then, what an extremely cool experience.

Especially for a kid whose father, Ellis, is a Chicago native and longtime Bulls fan. Ellis and Sherryl Paige were in the crowd, as was Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson, Marcus' AAU coaches and a bunch of friends and teammates from school.

"Basically anybody that could make the three-hour trip was here," Paige said. "Nice to see that many people support me."

Paige was a starter for a West team that won 106-102, scoring four points and dishing seven assists, sharing point-guard duties with Indiana signee Kevin Ferrell. He made 2 of 7 shots from the field.

Keep in mind that all-star games are essentially glorified pick-up ball. Defense is mostly optional and the fans don't react unless a guy really throws one down.

But there was no doubt the kid belonged on the court with the other 23 McDonald's all-Americans, flashing the skills that made him the Metro's all-time leading career scorer and top point-guard recruit in the country, according to ESPNU. He is the seventh Iowan to play in the 35-year-old McDonald's Game, the second Metro prep, following Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Al Lorenzen in 1984.

"Oh, it was a lot of fun," Paige said. "Probably one of the most fun weeks of basketball I've had in my whole life. To be around all the top guys like this and have as much fun as we did, to get a chance to scrimmage, to go to the Ronald McDonald House, it was a great week. Then, obviously, to win was kind of nice, too."

The 6-foot-2 lefty missed his first shot, a long jumper, about a minute in, but capped a 3-on-1 transition break seconds later with a lob pass that game MVP and 2012 Morgan Wootten Award Winner Shabazz Muhammad (prep player of the year) caught about waist high but still managed to dunk. Another assist on a Muhammad slam followed, then came his first points, a drive to the left of the lane and soft kiss off the backboard.

Paige finished with four points and four assists in the first half, setting up Muhammad (his roommmate this week) for another ooo-and-ahh dunk in the second half with a lob pass from outside the time line. The pair seemed to have chemistry all night, ironic considering uncommitted Muhammad is seriously contemplating arch-rival Duke.

"We've played together (before)," Paige said. "I know his game pretty well, he knows my game pretty well. So we just kind of feed off each other. I'm a distributor and he's a scorer, and that works out pretty well.

"We definitely enjoyed playing with each other."

Paige also was a participant in Monday night's 3-point shooting contest, leading after one round but fading in the second round. His pre-Carolina itinerary includes the Nike Hoop Summit in Oregon and Jordan Brand Classic in Charlotte, N.C.

He will take summer classes in Chapel Hill beginning June 14 and could be in for major minutes for Coach Roy Williams if sophomore starter Kendall Marshall decides to turn pro.

"Probably going to the Ronald McDonald House and getting a chance to interact with the kids was the highlight for me," Paige said. "Those kids are not as fortunate, or in a bad situation. Just to put a smile on their face felt great. That really affected my life.

"Then just hanging out with all the guys. All the guys were so cool. It was just a great time."

Here is a postgame interview with Paige: