The City of Palms Classic is approaching, and the top high school basketball players in the country will soon be in Fort Myers for the 51st annual tournament.
This year’s lineup is as star-studded as ever. A total of 55 seniors in this year’s classic have made Division I commitments, with 15 of the nation’s top 40 seniors set to take the floor at Suncoast Credit Union. The City of Palms has produced eight No. 1 overall draft picks in the NBA draft, and 133 first-round selections since 1994.
Headlining this year’s lineup is South Florida powerhouse Christopher Columbus High School, which has won three-straight Class 7A state championships and is the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
Leading the Explorers is the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, Cameron Boozer, and his twin brother Cayden. The sons of NBA veteran Carlos Boozer are signed to Duke, and welcome in new-transfer and top-15 junior Caleb Gasksins.
Returning to Fort Myers once again are national talent factories Mater Dei, LuHi, IMG Academy, Monteverde, and more. The tournament runs Dec. 18-23 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Florida SouthWestern’s campus.
Here are 20 players to watch in the 2024 City of Palms Classic.
Gaskins, a 6-foot-7 junior, transferred from powerhouse Monteverde to the three-time defending state champion Explorers after playing on Nike’s EYBL circuit with Columbus’ standout Boozer twins. The five-star picked up offers from Villanova, Ole Miss, and UCF since September, and will have plenty of highlights for one of the most star-studded squads in the tournament.
Ingram, a Florida commit, transferred to Montverde from Hawthorne for his senior campaign. The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 24.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.7 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game for the Hornets, and named the Gators over Georgia, Kansas, Georgetown, and Michigan.
Duke basketball has one of the most prolific lists of alumni in all of college basketball history, and Cameron Boozer is ranked as the fifth-best Blue Devil signee of all time. Boozer, the son of NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, is a three-time state champion, FIBA U16 gold medalist and MVP, two-time Florida Mr. Basketball, and won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award as a sophomore.
While Cameron Boozer may be the higher-ranked Boozer twin, the Explorers still boast one of the best guards in the country with Cayden. Cayden, a Duke signee, posted 12 PPG, 7.6 APG, and 1.8 steals while shooting 51 percent from the floor last year. He finished last season’s 7A state final overtime win over Oak Ridge with 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists while going 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.
Acuff Jr. is arguably the most dominant guard in the state. The 6-foot-2 five-star signed to John Calipari’s Razorbacks over UConn, Alabama, Kansas, and others. He’ll be the marquee name on an IMG roster loaded with Division I talent.
White is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 7 power forward in the country and No. 5 overall player in Florida. The 6-foot-8 four-star transferred in from Myers Park (N.C.), where he averaged 16.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG on the way to a 27-3 finish. He signed with Syracuse over Alabama, Arkansas, FSU, and others.
Haralson, 6-foot-7, is a five-star forward and No. 1 overall player in Indiana. The Notre Dame signee averaged 11.1 PPG and 4.0 RPG for Team USA’s U17 squad on the way to a FIBA gold medal. He also shined on Nike’s EYBL circuit, posting 21.2 PPG and 7.3 RPG. Haralson chose Notre Dame over Indiana, Michigan State, Auburn, and others.
Adams, a 6-foot-5 five-star, is one of the most coveted guards in the country. He signed with UConn over Michigan State, Tennessee, Alabama, and 16 other schools. He’s helped La Lumiere to a 7-1 start, including wins over DME Academy and Arizona Compass. Adams had 20 points with 6 boards against nationally-ranked AZ Compass while going 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Brown Jr., a 6-foot-2 five-star, is ranked as one of the top point guards in the country despite a leaner frame. His ability to score at three levels, combined with high-level floor vision, makes him an exciting recruit that schools are pushing hard for. Brown Jr. holds nearly 30 offers from the likes of Ole Miss, Indiana, Kentucky, and Texas.
Jones is one of the most coveted forwards in the state and signed to Providence over Texas, Kansas, Ohio State, and LSU. The 6-foot-6 four-star posted 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 68 percent from the field on the way to an appearance in the 7A state final.
Yessoufou is as physically gifted a prospect as any in the 2025 class and has all the tools to be the most dominant player on either end of the floor on any given night. That’s why he fits so well with Baylor, which he signed with over Arizona State, Arizona, Kentucky, USC, and others. The 6-foot-6 five-star averaged 32.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 2.6 steals for St. Joseph last year.
Reibe, a 7-foot five-star, signed with UConn over 36 other schools. The consensus top-5 center in the country has represented Germany in international competition since he was 15 years old, most recently averaging 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds, while also stepping out and making nearly two 3s per game at a 57.9% clip at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.
Constanza helped the Lions to a state title appearance in his sophomore campaign after posting 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. The 6-foot-8 forward holds offers from Syracuse, Alabama, Arizona State, Creighton, and Florida.
Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, followed in his father’s footsteps by signing with Syracuse. The 6-foot-5 guard named the Orange over USC, FSU, Arizona State, and others. He posted 29.5 PPG at the NBPA Top 100 camp.
Mingo, a four-star combo guard, spurned Georgia, Xavier, and Virginia Tech to sign with Penn State. The 6-foot-2 senior is a consensus top-3 player in the state of New York and posted 15.2 PPG on the way to an all-EYBL Scholastic League selection.
Wilkins has shined in Georgia’s competitive public school scene and averaged 16.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.5 blocks, 2.1 APG, and 2 steals on the way to capturing Grayson’s first-ever state title. The 6-foot-7 wing posted 14 points and 12 rebounds in an upset win over McEachern, and is signed with hometown Georgia Bulldogs.
Medina has all the tools to succeed in the Big East and is already showing why early in the year. The 7-foot-1 center signed with DePaul over Xavier, USF, and West Virginia. He’ll be foundational for Gibbs on the quest to repeat as state champions.
Moreno, a 6-foot-11 center, signed with his hometown Kentucky Wildcats over Indiana, Ohio State, North Carolina, Alabama, and many others. Rupp Arena is just 15 miles from Great Crossing. Moreno, a four-star, averaged 16 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 3.7 blocks for a 36-win Warhawk team last year.
Montonati is a top-25 junior in the country and led Owasso to their first-ever state championship after hanging 33 points in the state final, including a dagger three-pointer. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 23.6 PPG, 5 RPG, and 2 APG, and holds over 20 offers from the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, and others.
Johnson, a 6-foot-7 forward, has made strides every year and is poised for a breakout senior campaign. He’s a true vertical threat who runs the floor well and can defend at a high level, and Griffin head coach RJ Jones knows exactly how to let Johnson shine. He averaged 17 PPG and 11.7 RBG in his junior season on the way to a News-Press All-Area selection.
