In the days leading up to the McDonald’s All American Games in Chicago, USA TODAY High School Sports will be catching up with various players to talk about their experiences. In this entry, we talk to Dominican High (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) forward Diamond Stone, who committed to Maryland last week. 

I know all these guys through camps or USA Basketball so it’s was just like a big reunion through today and yesterday. It’s been really intense so far. Everyone is competing hard and trying to get better. My conference in Wisconsin is kind of small so coming to this event, I have to change my playing style and approach because these guys are so talented.

But I’m also not doing anything outside of playing Diamond basketball. I’m not going to do extra stuff that I don’t normally do because it will be on ESPN and in front of a huge crowd. I’m going to do what I do best. If I score 10, if I score 10. If I score 30, I score 30.

We have a good coach and a good staff and they pretty much tell us what do and when to do it. That goes with being humble and comfortable. Me and everyone else on the team, we all get along with each other.

Diamond Stone poses during picture day at the McDonald’s All American Game (Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports)

For big guys in these games, the hardest part is you have to keep your man sealed off. On the offensive end, it’s a little easier. You have to make sure the guard sees you but you can roll, you can pick, you can pop.

Before I got here, I committed to Maryland. I could have done it on ESPN at the game, but I wanted to get it out of the way. I didn’t really care if it was televised. I just felt like I was ready. They have the pieces around me to win. I feel that we can be a championship team.

After this, I think I’m going to the Kentucky Derby Under Armour Jam in early April. I think I’m going to go to U19s in June. After that, I’ll be at College Park. I’m there for six weeks, come back home for two weeks and go back again.