Future NCAA Stars Protected, Supported by McDavid

March Madness is here and 24 of the best high school basketball seniors in America are gearing up for Chicago’s NeXt All-American Classic, Sunday, April 3. Equipped with Top 100 rankings and scholarships with major Division-1 universities, these players will take the court wearing McDavid – the same protective apparel technology that almost all NCAA and more than 90 percent of NBA teams choose.

Chicago-based and worldwide provider McDavid has been named the Official Sports Medicine and Protective Apparel partner of the NeXt All-American Classic.

“We want the best equipment for our athletes and that's McDavid,” Celeste Arnold, official spokesperson of NeXt All-American Classic said. “We are delighted that McDavid has teamed up with us to deliver a great show to fans."

McDavid, as a proud sponsor of the event, will outfit the players in HexPad protective shorts, shirts and shooter sleeves. HexPad is an exclusive and proprietary technology that bonds small hex-shaped athletic pads right onto the fabric, creating a lightweight, breathable and durable layer of protection that moves with and conforms to the athletes.

“Players who compete at full force are bound to hit the ground at full force from time to time,” Rey Corpuz, director of marketing for McDavid said. “And that’s exactly why basketball stars at every level use HexPad protection. It absorbs the impact of a hard hit and enables athletes to play harder, longer.”

“When athletes think of protecting themselves during competition, they think of McDavid,” Arnold said. “Our players look up to pro athletes like Dwyane Wade and Corey Maggette. They are excited to wear McDavid and we're looking forward to a great week of events, culminating with the game itself.”

According to Arnold, the true mission of NeXt is to give back to the community. The game is expected to raise money for local charities, schools and non-profit organizations. The players also plan to participate in various service projects. McDavid’s sponsorship extends to all events throughout the week.

“NeXt All-American Classic is really a phenomenal event ,” Corpuz said. “We’re not just talking about a game that will showcase future NCAA and NBA superstars; we’re talking about a program that is going to make a positive difference all over Chicago. As a locally-based company with a huge role in the basketball world, we are really honored to be the Official Sports Medicine and Protective Apparel sponsor NeXt.”