Cassidy Awards: City of Palms Classic

FT. MYERS, Fla. – The 50th City of Palms Classic is still unfolding on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and the first three days of action featured a deep and talented pool of future college stars. Rivals national recruiting director Rob Cassidy was on hand at the event for its first three days of games and recaps some of the more notable performances he witnessed in the form of awards below.

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More: Stars shine on first day of City of Palms Classic | More takeaways

2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team

2026 Rankings: Top 65

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Harper’s matchup with fellow five-star and future Rutgers teammate Ace Bailey was one of the event’s most anticipated games, and the Don Bosco Prep guard showed up when the lights were brightest, turning in a 28-point, eight-rebound effort that willed his team to a comfortable victory. Harper showed off his full bag in the win, using his signature change of pace to get to the bucket, knocking down pull-up jumpers and converting four 3-pointers as part of an 11-for-18 shooting effort. Harper is as complete a scorer as there is in this class and reminded everyone of that fact on Tuesday.

Recruitment: Harper is signed with Rutgers.

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In an event that showcased a number of talented sophomores, Smith shined as brightly as any. His 15-point effort against Arizona’s Millennium High School on Monday afternoon allowed him to showcase his strong build, defensive versatility, shooting stroke and toughness. Smith plays with the confidence of a senior despite being a member of the class of 2026 and doesn’t mind asserting himself on the offensive end when his team needs a bucket.

Recruitment: Smith holds offers from programs such as Syracuse, Providence, Maryland and Kansas State. He’s already taken unofficial visits to Villanova and Georgetown, from which he also holds offers. His recruitment is expected to get more crowded in the coming year.

There’s not much left to write about Flagg, the consensus top prospect in the class of 2024. He impacts games in a manner that no other high school player can match, and his dominance seems to have gotten more consistent in the last year. Flagg has very few truly off games and on the rare occasion that his shots aren’t falling, his elite level defense both at the rim and on the perimeter allow him to affect games in a major way. Monday’s 22-point, seven-rebound, five-assist effort managed to seem ho-hum because that sort of stat line has become the standard.

Recruitment: Flagg is signed with Duke.

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Acuff Jr. had himself a day with Texas head coach Rodney Terry sitting courtside on Wednesday. The IMG Academy guard poured in 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting and rebounded extremely well positionally, snagging 10 boards. Acuff’s shot selection is improving, but he is still the same bulk-scoring weapon on the offensive end. He seems like a lock to be one of the most reliable scorers in the country when he steps on a college campus.

Recruitment: Programs such as Michigan, Texas, Kentucky and Kansas are in the thick of Acuff’s recruitment, but a commitment isn’t expected until next summer.

Bailey put together what was possibly the most complete half of the tournament on Monday, as the 6-foot-9 forward showed his full bag in the first two quarters and wow’d onlookers with his ball-handling, jumper and ability to play above the rim. Bailey’s battle going forward will be with consistency as his highs are as high as any player in the country and his upside is on par with that of No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg even if he’s less consistent on a game-to-game basis.

Recruitment: Bailey is signed with Rutgers.

A 6-foot-8 forward with a strong, sturdy build, Constanza plays with the composure of an upperclassman on most occasions. Tuesday saw Constanza matched up against a Long Island Lutheran team with a deep roster of high-major prospects, and the sophomore still managed to leave his mark on the game with a physical, 23-point, five-rebound effort that came on the heels of a double-double the day before. The Florida-based sophomore is becoming a special player as he continues to learn to make better decisions on defense and when it comes to making wise passes.

Recruitment: Constanza already has a long list of major offers, including ones from Alabama, Auburn, Illinois, St. John’s and Florida. Expect the bluebloods to start kicking the tires down the road.

The 6-foot-9 Jenkins certainly doesn’t look like a freshman. According to his coach, he grew six inches in the last year, and you can tell he’s still getting used to his body because of it. That said, he has reliable hands, good instincts and a soft touch around the rim. He will be wildly interesting to monitor as he becomes more fluid in the years to come. On Tuesday, the massive freshman turned in a 20-point, four-rebound performance that included a pair of deep 3-pointers. The class of 2027 prospect oozes potential and plays with a refreshing level of toughness relative to his age.

Recruitment: Jenkins is just a freshman, but his build and skill set suggests his first offer may not be far away.

If Perry had truly elite length or athleticism, he’d be in the discussion about top-10 prospects. Even without those gifts, the 6-foot-2 guard is difficult to gameplan for, as he’s extremely quick and deliberate with the ball in his hands in addition to being an top-flight long-range shooter. The state of Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer is from a town of 2,300 people and recently signed with the in-state Wildcats. Wednesday saw Perry knock down five 3-pointers on his way to a 30-point, eight-assist effort that saw him get buckets in nearly every imaginable way. The performance wasn’t terribly efficient but that stands to reason seeing as though Perry is the only Div. I-bound player on the roster and asked to carry a heavy load.

Recruitment: Perry is signed with Kentucky.

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Edgecombe’s explosive athleticism and reliable finishing ability are enough to get most gyms buzzing, but the fact that he’s the top uncommitted prospect in the 2024 class added another layer of intrigue to his aura at City of Palms. On Tuesday, Edgecombe said he won’t announce a commitment until the calendar turns to 2024 and claimed to be “leaning one way” while declining to say which direction that was. His 20-point game featured a number of difficult finishes at the rim, but building buzz about where he’ll play college ball outshined his typically impressive on-court performance.

Recruitment: Baylor, Kentucky and Duke feel like the most likely landing spots for Edgecombe, who is also considering Florida and St. John’s.

Maluk is playing with a newfound confidence as a junior and seems to have taken well to the increased level of competition to which he’s been exposed since transferring to national-ranked Long Island Lutheran. Maluk was a bit timid at times last season but looks like a new player from that standpoint. He consistently attacked the rim and showcased increased physicality on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Yes, the slender 7-footer still needs to add weight but he doesn't get pushed around as much as he once did and has a developing face-up game that shows promise. He finished Tuesday’s game against Westminster Academy with nine points and eight rebounds.

Recruitment: Maluk is committed to Florida State.

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Harris has definitely improved over the last year and is playing a more confident brand of basketball because of it. He turned in a well-rounded effort on Monday that included 17 points, six rebounds and four assists and showed off strides he’s taken as both a passer and defender as well. Harris currently sits at No. 77 in the Rivals150 but will likely slide up from there in the next update.

Recruitment: Harris is signed with Duke.

Saying it’s difficult to stop Holt when he decides he wants to drive to the basket is understating the point. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound wing is as physical and quick off the dribble as any wing in the country and has a knack for finishing through contact. That part of his game was on full display on Wednesday as his 21-point, eight-rebound game led his Buckhorn (Ala.) High School team to a lopsided victory. There’s not a more physically imposing wing in the 2026 class.

Recruitment: Holt grew up a North Carolina fan and has had preliminary contact with the UNC coaching staff, many of which watched him practice in Fort Myers this week. Alabama seems like a team to watch as well, as the Crimson Tide have prioritized the 2026 star. Programs such as Auburn, Houston, Ole Miss, LSU and Tennessee are also involved