Cooper Flagg to Sylvia Fowles: Ranking Florida’s leading high school

In the spirit of the “SportsCenter” quest– imitated the original 2005 “SportsCenter Across America”trip to hit all 50 states in 50 days– we’re spotlighting some of the leading hoopers repping crucial stops along the way.Editor’s Picks

2 Associated

To rank the top young boys’ and ladies’ basketball talent since 2000, we’re placing a heavy focus on high school distinctions– state titles, national honors, specific awards– in addition to on-court dominance, long-term tradition, recognition and general impact on the game.In this edition, we focus on Florida.From Cooper Flagg to Destanni Henderson, these hoopers represent a few of the finest to ever play high school basketball in the Sunshine State. 1. Amar ‘e Stoudemire, Cypress Creek High School Class of 2002 His case: Stoudemire dominated at Cypress

Creek in 2002, averaging 29.1 points, 15 rebounds, 6.1 blocks and 2.1 steals per game. His performance made him Florida’s Mr. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American honors.Jumping directly to the NBA, Stoudemire was selected No. 9 by the Phoenix Suns in the 2002 draft

. He became the very first prep-to-pro player to win Novice of the Year with LeBron James doing the exact same the following season. Over 14 NBA seasons, he balanced 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds, making six All-Star teams and making 2 All-NBA First Team selections.2. Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy Class of 2024 His case: After starting his high school profession in Maine at Nokomis Regional High School, Flagg
propelled Montverde

Academy to an ideal 33-0 season and a Chipotle Nationals title, balancing 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 helps and 2.7 blocks. His supremacy made him multiple 2024 honors, consisting of Gatorade National Gamer of the Year, Naismith Gamer of the Year, Nike EYBL Scholastic Player of the Year and Protective Gamer of the Year.Flagg starred right away at Duke, assisting heaven Devils to the Last Four while balancing 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

He gathered ACC Player of the Year, Novice of the Year, First String All-ACC and All-American honors, in addition to the Naismith and Wooden Gamer of the Year awards, before being prepared No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks in 2025.3. Cameron Boozer, Columbus High School Class of 2025 His case: Boozer powered his team to four successive state champions and topped his senior season with a Chipotle Nationals title, posting 22.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.7

helps and 2.1 blocks per game. Ranked No. 3 in the ESPN 100, he gathered two Gatorade National Player of the Year awards, three Florida Mr. Basketball titles, the Morgan Wootten Award and Co-MVP honors at the McDonald’s All-American Game.Boozer likewise captured three Nike Peach Jam titles with NightRydas Elite, where he topped the 17U circuit in scoring(24.5) and rebounding (13.4). He will dress for the Duke Blue Devils in the fall.4. Brandon Knight, Pine Crest High School Class of 2010 His case: Knight reached 4 state finals, winning 2 of them during his time at Pine Crest. As a senior in 2010, he averaged 32.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4 assists, making a 2nd Gatorade Gamer of the

Year and Florida Mr. Basketball award while completing No. 4 in the ESPN 100. At Kentucky, Knight balanced 17.3 points, 4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, making First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman honors. Prepared No. 8 by the Detroit Pistons in 2011, he played 9 NBA seasons, averaging 14 points and 3.9 helps, and made the NBA All-Rookie First Team.5. Austin Rivers, Winter

Park High School Class of 2011 His case: Rivers guided the Winter Park Wildcats to back-to-back state titles and balanced 29.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2 takes as a senior, finishing No. 2 in the ESPN 100. That season he recorded Florida’s Mr. Basketball, Gatorade Player of the Year, Naismith

Gamer of the Year and the Morgan Wootten Award.At Duke, he made ACC Rookie of the Year and First string All-ACC honors before being chosen No. 10 by the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2012. Rivers spent 11 seasons in the NBA.Girls 1. Sylvia Fowles, Edison Secondary School; Gulliver Preparatory School Class of 2004 Her case: Fowles won three state titles at 2 various schools. The last came at Gulliver Preparation, where she balanced 20.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a senior in 2004. That resulted in her earning McDonald’s All-American honors before she went on to star at LSU.In Baton Rouge, Fowles was called to the SEC All-Freshman Team, first team All-SEC three times and SEC Player

of the Year. Fowles went No. 2 to the Chicago Sky in the 2008 WNBA draft. She went on to be named to 8 WNBA All-Star games, capture 2 WNBA titles and claim WNBA Finals MVP.2. Erlana Larkins, The Benjamin School Class of 2004 Her case: Larkins brought the Benjamin School to four state champions, balancing 22.3 points, 14.6 rebounds and 4.2 helps as a senior in 2004. She earned Florida’s Gatorade Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American honors.At North Carolina, she was a three-time First Team All-ACC selection and ACC Tournament MVP. The New York Liberty prepared her No. 14 in 2008, and she went on to play eight WNBA seasons, winning a champion in 2012.3. Tiffany Hayes, Winter Sanctuary High School Class of 2008 Her case: Hayes steered Winter season Haven to 2 state titles and a 117-9 record, making Florida’s Ms. Basketball and Gatorade Gamer of the Year honors as a senior in 2008. She likewise assisted Group Essence secure an AAU nationwide title in 2007. At UConn, she made the Big East All-Freshman Team, was a two-time First string All-Big

East selection and helped the Huskies claim two nationwide titles. Prepared No. 14 by the Atlanta Dream in 2012, Hayes averaged 13.1 points and 3.6 rebounds across 12 seasons, making All-Rookie honors and an All-WNBA nod in 2018. She currently bets

the Golden State Valkyries.4. Dorian “Shante”Williams, Jean Ribault High SchoolClass of 2003 Her case: Williams anchored Ribault High to four straight state championships and a 143-3 record, consisting of 101 consecutive wins. She made back-to-back Florida Gatorade Player of the Year awards and finished in 2003 with 2,780 career points.At Florida State, she was an All-ACC choice as a freshman and finished her career with 2,177 points, 897 helps, 649 steals, 558 rebounds and 53 blocks.She went back to Ribault as a coach, helping win a state title in 2017 as an assistant before serving eight seasons as head coach and stepping down at the end of the 2025 school year.Her case: Henderson directed Fort Myers High to 3 state championships, amounting to 1,649 profession points

. As a senior in 2018, she balanced 15.2 points, 6.1 helps and 3.3 takes, making Florida’s Ms. Basketball and Gatorade Gamer of the Year honors.At South Carolina, she assisted the Gamecocks win a nationwide title and two SEC championships. Drafted No. 20 by the Indiana Fever in 2022, Henderson played 3 WNBA seasons and currently plays overseas.