Let $G$ be a finite group, and $α$ a nontrivial character of $G$. The McKay graph $\mathcal{M}(G,α)$ has the irreducible characters of $G$ as vertices, with an edge from $χ_1$ to $χ_2$ if $χ_2$ is a constituent of $αχ_1$. We study the diameters of McKay graphs for finite simple groups $G$. For alternating groups, we prove a conjecture made in [LST]: there is an absolute constant $C$ such that $\hbox{diam}\,{\mathcal M}(G,α) \le C\frac{\log |\mathsf{A}_n|}{\log α(1)}$ for all nontrivial irreducible characters $α$ of $\mathsf{A}_n$. Also for classsical groups of symplectic or orthogonal type of rank $r$, we establish a linear upper bound $Cr$ on the diameters of all nontrivial McKay graphs.

22 pages