The 1996 McDonald's All-American Boys Game was the 19th edition of the annual high‑school basketball all‑star exhibition organized by McDonald’s. The game was played on March 30, 1996, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and was televised nationally on ESPN.
The event featured two teams—East and West—comprised of 24 of the nation’s top senior high‑school players as selected by a committee of basketball experts and coaches. Among the participants were future National Basketball Association (NBA) players Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce, both of whom were regarded as leading prospects in the 1996 graduating class.
The West team defeated the East team; the exact final score and the player who received the MVP award are not documented in the available encyclopedic sources, and therefore cannot be stated definitively here.
The McDonald’s All‑American Games serve both as a showcase for elite high‑school talent and as a charitable fundraiser; proceeds from the event support the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The 1996 game continued this tradition, adding to the long‑standing history of the All‑American weekend, which also includes a celebrated slam‑ dunk contest and a three‑point shooting competition.
