Creating The Iconic McDonald's All American Jersey

"Both of my older brothers had been McDonald’s All Americans and played in the Game, so I knew the significance of being selected for the team," Zeller told Dime. "It was definitely a goal of mine in high school. I had been recognized some in my small town and even statewide in Indiana, but I had never received such a prestigious nationwide honor. To finally see my name and my own jersey was a huge accomplishment and one of the proudest moments of my high school career."

“To finally see my name and my own jersey was a huge accomplishment and one of the proudest moments of my high school career”

This sentiment — that being named a McDonald’s All American is one of the highest honors a basketball player can achieve, no matter the heights they reach as a college or professional player — is shared by two-time WNBA champion Jewell Loyd, who still fondly remembers playing in the game in her hometown of Chicago.

"It’s got your name on it — McDonald’s All American," Loyd says. "All the work you do in high school, that maybe people don’t see finally kind of paying off and you have some kind of rep now. You go down in history books as being a McDonald’s All American. They treat you like royalty, you get all the gear, and you feel like you’re on top of the world. It’s really cool to still have that memory and have that jersey."

“It’s really cool to still have that memory and have that jersey”

As he designed the threads for the 2021 edition of the game — which will not be played due to the COVID-19 pandemic — Irving Perez, an apparel designer with adidas since 2017 and the lead designer on this project (and the 2020 jersey), made it a point to keep focus on that tangible and lasting feeling. But he also wanted to make sure that he made something unique for the next crop of athletes while pulling inspiration from the rich history of these jerseys and the Game. Which is a recurring theme over the years with these jerseys. Especially since 2012, when adidas came aboard as a sponsor, developing jerseys, providing footwear, and generally leading with that understanding of the Game’s history and its cultural impact (it’s been heralding youth basketball players since 1977).

"Looking back at the early-2000s, that was the main inspiration for this uniform," Perez told Dime, referencing the Candace Parker and Lebron James eras specifically in the mid-aughts. To get to that final result, however, it takes a mix of inspiration, focus, and a willingness to take chances using new technology.

A shiny fabric synonymous with that early aughts era of basketball called "dazzle" was a major piece of the puzzle. The panels on these uniforms have dazzle, and while it's meant to harken back to older uniforms, Perez believes that his choice gives these uniforms a look that is both "authentic" and "futuristic." All while still feeling “fresh,” so as to indicate that these players are “the future of basketball” and wearing a uniform that also pulls from style trends of the moment.

Function is another key part of this. Perez wanted to make sure that the 18-month process included making sure that there were uniforms specifically designed for female athletes, using laser perforation technology “to create these zones on the actual chassis of the uniform itself” in an effort to aid performance. It’s something Perez is particularly proud of, indicating that adidas is redefining how they design jerseys with the female market firmly in mind.

At the end the day, all of this is drives back to that first point: adidas and McDonalds want to create a symbol that acknowledges all that these players have done and all they’re poised to do on and off the court. Something tangible that connects them to the long and prestigious list of hoopers who played in the game in the past. It’s a moment that alum Michael Carter-Williams captures so well.

"It felt like I had completed a huge milestone," Carter-Williams says. "I felt like all the hard work my family and I had put in had really paid off. I knew [my] brothers and sister were going to be so excited to see it. It was a special moment for me that I’ll always cherish."

“I felt like all the hard work my family and I had put in had really paid off”