KU signee Billy Preston named a McDonald’s All-American

Class of 2017 forward Billy Preston, the No. 8-ranked player in his class according to Rivals.com, learned Sunday night that he was selected to be a McDonald’s All-American.

Preston joins a long list of current and former Jayhawks to earn a spot in the prestigious high school all-star game and was joined on the West squad by KU target Trae Young, one of the top point guards in the class who remains one of the Jayhawks’ top targets in the current class.

Point guard Trevon Duval, who also remains undecided and on the Jayhawks’ radar was named to the East squad.

Preston, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound five-star forward from Oak Hill Academy, chose Kansas over finalists Indiana, Syracuse and USC and did so on the strength of his stellar visit during Late Night in the Phog in early October.

He becomes the 41st Jayhawk to earn McDonald’s All-American honors, a feat that also was accomplished by three members of the current roster — Carlton Bragg Jr. in 2015 and Udoka Azubuike and Josh Jackson in 2016.

While Preston — and potentially Young and/or Duval — was the only Jayhawk-to-be to land on this year’s 24-player roster, a look at the 23 other names to earn the honor proves yet again just how strong KU’s recent recruiting efforts have been.

Several players on the 24-man roster considered Kansas or had the Jayhawks on their final list, including center DeAndre Ayton, point guard Collin Sexton and small forward Troy Brown.

This year’s McDonald’s All-American game will take place March 29 at United Center in Chicago.