The first 12 players selected to participate in the seventh annual Under Armour Elite 24 event have been announced.

Featuring 24 of the top high school basketball players from across the nation, the Under Armour Elite 24 participants are selected based on their performance during AAU tournaments and national summer camps by ESPN high school basketball experts.

The 2012 Under Armour Elite 24 will be held at the Venice Beach Courts in Los Angeles Aug. 24-25. The game airs live on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET Aug. 25, while the slam dunk contest will air Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Forward and 2011 event alum Julius Randle, ranked No. 3 in the ESPN 100, headlines the list along with first-time participant Andrew Wiggins, ranked No. 1 in the ESPN 60. Randle, of Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas) and the Team Texas Titans AAU program, is a top 2012-13 national player of the year candidate. Wiggins, who played at Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) last season and recently led CIA Bounce to the Nike Peach Jam finals, is a native of Canada.

Other event veterans include Nate Britt II, who participates in AAU ball with the D.C. Assault and will spend his senior season at Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.); twin brothers Andrew and Aaron Harrison of Travis (Richmond, Texas) and the Houston Defenders AAU club; and Aquille Carr, who preps at Patterson (Baltimore, Md.) and was a standout this summer for B'more Finest.

Britt had six points and two steals for the victorious Marques Johnson club last year. The Harrisons twins combined for 22 points and eight assists for Marques Johnson, while Carr was co-MVP for the Raymond Lewis club with 21 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and an event-record four steals.

The second dozen players, roster of teams and dunk contest participants will be announced in early August.

Join our Under Armour Elite 24 fan page on Facebook and don't forget to follow the event on twitter: @UAElite24