From the roaring crowd to squeaking sneakers on the hardwood, high school basketball is a beloved American pastime.
The sport's school roots date back to its 19th-century beginnings. After all, James Naismith invented basketball as a physical education activity. The concept of a state championship for high school basketball soon followed. Illinois, for example, held a state championship as early as 1908. Other states with early high school basketball championships include Indiana (first championship in 1911) and Wisconsin (1916).
Now, the sport is etched into the ethos of the American high school. Almost 900,000 student athletes play on their high school basketball team, according to 2024-25 school year data compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations. That figure represents over 18,000 schools competing across all 50 states, grinding out games in high school gyms on dark winter nights.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 basketball recruits from Florida using data from 247Sports. Athletes are ranked by their 247Sports Composite ranking.
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#10. Joe Philon (PF)
- National rank: #46 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #9
- College: uncommitted
- Offers: UNLV, Ohio State, South Florida, Florida State, Florida Gulf Coast
- High school: Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL)
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#9. Chase Foster (PF)
- National rank: #44 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #8
- College: Pittsburgh
- Offers: Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Florida State, Illinois
- High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
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#8. Ralph Scott (SF)
- National rank: #39 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #19
- College: Tennessee
- Offers: Tennessee, Purdue, Texas A&M, Houston, Georgia Tech
- High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
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#7. Davion Adkins (C)
- National rank: #31 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Kansas
- Offers: Kansas, Rutgers, Houston, Arizona State, Auburn
- High school: Prolific Prep (Dallas, TX)
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#6. Cole Cloer (SF)
- National rank: #30 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #13
- College: NC State
- Offers: NC State, Alabama, UConn, Florida, Illinois
- High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
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#5. Jaxon Richardson (SF)
- National rank: #22 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #10
- College: uncommitted
- Offers: Creighton, Ole Miss, USC, Alabama, Miami
- High school: Southeastern Prep (Orlando, FL)
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#4. Toni Bryant (PF)
- National rank: #21 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #4
- College: Missouri
- Offers: Missouri, NC State, North Carolina, South Florida, Kansas
- High school: Zephyrhills Christian Academy (Zephyrhills, FL)
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#3. Caleb Gaskins (PF)
- National rank: #16 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Miami
- Offers: Miami, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, Baylor
- High school: Columbus (Miami, FL)
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#2. Bruce Branch III (SF)
- National rank: #6 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #2
- College: uncommitted
- Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Houston, Indiana
- High school: Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
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#1. Caleb Holt (SG)
- National rank: #3 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: uncommitted
- Offers: Houston, Arizona, Providence, Alabama, Kentucky
- High school: Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
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