Park Hill South basketball star Addison Bjorn was named a McDonald’s All-American on Feb. 2.
The accolades and milestones continue to roll in for Park Hill South senior basketball star Addison Bjorn, but her most recent honor has officially pinned her among the elite high school players in the nation.
On Feb. 2, Bjorn was named to the 49th annual McDonald’s All-American Game set for March 31 in Glendale, Ariz. She will represent Park Hill South as one of 12 players selected to Team West, which will face Team East at Desert Diamond Arena.
“I’m very blessed for it,” Bjorn said. “It’s something I’ve worked very hard for my whole career, and it’s pretty surreal that I can call myself a McDonald’s All-American now.”
Among the perks of being selected is the opportunity to play in front of a national audience on ESPN against other elite high school talent. The event also includes a media day on March 30 before 3-point and dunk contests.
Previous players named to the All-American Game have included four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, NCAA all-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark and Missouri native Sophie Cunningham.
Bjorn’s resume, which includes three gold medals representing the United States Youth Basketball Teams, has continued to add accolade after accolade and milestone after milestone.
The reigning Missouri Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year became the second player in state history to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career last month.
“I think the thing that people don’t see that I always talk about, and I want to make sure people know, is how much her teammates love her,” Park Hill South head coach Josh Dorr said. “They really appreciate her because she’s out there encouraging them.”
Bjorn led the Panthers to unprecedented success last year with an undefeated regular season campaign. While 14-6 on the season with a 4-0 start in conference play this year, Dorr pointed to instances of Bjorn providing “It’s one of those things where she’s an amazing teammate,” Dorr said. “The kids all look to her as a leader, and they appreciate her because she gives it right back to them.”
Still, no matter what South’s opposition throws at Bjorn, she has still managed to put up career numbers. She averages a double-double for the third straight year, averaging more than 25 points and 14 rebounds per game.
“I feel like every game is different, especially offensively for me,” Bjorn said. “We see a lot of different defenses, so adjusting on the fly is what we can do best. Just need to continue to be consistent without turning it over.”