Miami Hurricanes signee relishes McDonald’s All-American Game experience
It’s been a great finish to Caleb Gaskins’ high school basketball career.
Gaskins started March by leading Columbus to its fifth consecutive state championship, which broke a record for a South Florida school and tied a state record.
He then led the Explorers to their second-ever national championship of The Throne basketball tournament in New Jersey.
The cherry on top came on Tuesday night when he continued a growing tradition for his school and his future school, the University of Miami, by donning a McDonald’s All-American uniform.
Gaskins played in the annual McDonald’s All-American Game at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., becoming the seventh Miami Hurricanes commit to do so all-time and the third Columbus player in the past two years, joining Duke stars Cameron and Cayden Boozer.
“Everybody who’s been a part of this game I’ve looked up to and it’s a great opportunity for all of us,” Gaskins said this week. “They paved the way for us and it’s up to us to continue the legacy.”
Gaskins, who is ranked a five-star prospect by 247Sports, and rated the No. 13 overall player in his class, played for the West team and finished with nine points on 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, two assists and a rebound in nearly 17 minutes.
Gaskins joined former McDonald’s All-Americans who went on to become Hurricanes such as Steve Edwards, Darius Rice, Tito Horford, Dewan Hernandez, Jalil Bathea and Lonnie Walker IV.
“Most importantly, I just want to show my character and who I am off the court as well as on the court,” Gaskins said.
Gaskins was also reunited with a former high school teammate in Jaxon Richardson, an Alabama commit, who played for the East squad. Gaskins and Richardson were teammates during Columbus’ 2024-25 state and national championship season.
Richardson transferred to Southeastern Prep this past season. He finished with 13 points and three rebounds in over 21 minutes in Tuesday’s game.
“Even though we were on different teams, it’s just a good thing to be able to connect again,” Gaskins said about Richardson. “At this point we call each other brothers and off the court we still have a bond.
“It was always our will to win. Columbus is a school known for winning. I wish we would have still had Jax there with us this past season. But we fought through a lot of adversity this year and had a lot of doubters. I feel like we kept winning and that’s why Columbus will always be Columbus.”
