The 50th annual City of Palms Classic jumped off Monday in Ft. Myers, Fla., bringing together the nation’s biggest collection of five-star talent all together under one roof. For this piece, many of these players have the talent to eventually become five-star recruits, but they aren’t sitting at that level in the rankings now and are still a bit under-rated nationally.

While there was more of a focus on local teams on day three, a number of players certainly saw their stock rise at the City of Palms Tourney:

Darius Acuff Jr., 6’2, PG, IMG Academy (FL), 2025
While Acuff Jr. is already a very highly touted player, performances like the one he had against back to back defending state champion Richmond Heights are what will lock him up as a McDonald’s All American and put him right there as the top point guard in class of 2025. Always known for his scoring prowess, Acuff Jr. was a one-man press break, killed defenders with his change of speed, and was a more than willing facilitator. His 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists (I think that number was a tad low) in a mere 21 minutes don’t even begin to tell the story of the impact that he had on the game. The son of former Eastern Kentucky guard Darius Acuff already has had a storied career, leading Detroit Cass Tech to their first ever state title as a sophomore last season.

Caleb Holt, 6’6, SG/SF, Buckhorn HS (AL), 2026
It’s hard to say that a player ranked in the top-5 by everyone nationally raised his stock, but given the fact that many haven’t seen Holt at the national level, he certainly did. Holt’s family has been very adamant about slowing down the process and focused on development rather than exposure early in his career since I first saw him at the varsity level as an eighth grader. The explosive athlete was a catalyst for Buckhorn, finished above the rim in transition, and defended virtually every position to tune of 21 points and eight rebounds in limited minutes.

Kayden Mingo, 6’1, PG, Long Island Lutheran (NY), 2025
While scoring machine VJ Edgecombe certainly paced the way, Mingo was the catalyst for Long Island Lutheran’s two quality wins thus far at City of Palms. The heady lead guard is leading EYBL Scholastic League in scoring, is an absolute blur in transition, and picked up a Wake Forest offer today with his play. Posting averages of 17 points and five steals per game, Mingo certainly solidified himself as a high major point guard this week.

Travis Perry, 6’2, PG, Lyon County High School (KY), 2024
Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer certainly showed that he could hold his own against elite competition, dropping 30 points against future McDonald’s All American Cam Scott at City of Palms. The volume shooter is an extremely confident 3-point shooter (especially in transition), is a nice rebounder from the backcourt, and has super quick hands as an on ball defender. Perry surprised many with his commitment to Kentucky as they jumped in his recruitment relatively late, but the Big Blue Nation has certainly welcomed him with open arms.

Jeremy Wilson, 6’5, PF, Richmond Heights HS (OH), 2024
There are some dudes who have no fear no matter who they play, and Wilson was that guy against national power IMG Academy at City of Palms. Wilson had no problem mixing it up in the paint, was Richmond Heights’ best interior defender, and showed some versatility on the offensive end. While not a name nationally, Wilson is certainly an impact player for Ohio’s back-to-back defending state champions.