Press & Media
Materials, fact sheet, and contact for journalists and media covering the National Prep Tournament 2027.
About the National Prep Tournament
The National Prep Tournament is an annual high school and post-grad basketball tournament held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The 2027 event runs March 5-7 at FCP Sports.
Hosted by Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy and directed by Coach Lee DeForest, the tournament features a capped 12-team field across two divisions (High School and Post-Grad), with every game live-streamed for free on YouTube and archived for college coach evaluation.
Distinct features:
- Single-court tournament with intentionally smaller field for production focus
- Every game broadcast free on YouTube with archive access
- IAABO-certified officiating
- Game MVP awards and All-Tournament Team selection
- $500 standard / $400 early-bird team entry fee (significantly below premier tournament market rates)
Quick Facts
National Prep Tournament 2027
- Dates
- March 5-7, 2027 (Friday-Sunday)
- Venue
- FCP Sports, 33 Jet Drive NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
- Nearest Airport
- Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS) — 15 minutes from venue
- Divisions
- High School & Post-Grad
- Field Cap
- 12 teams across both divisions
- Format
- NCAA rules, pool play + single-elimination bracket, 3-4 games guaranteed per team
- Entry Fee
- $500 standard / $400 early bird (through October 31, 2026)
- Host Organization
- Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy
- Tournament Director
- Coach Lee DeForest
- Streaming
- Every game free on YouTube, archived afterward
- Officiating
- IAABO-certified, local board
- Founded
- 2024 (inaugural event)
- Hotel Partner
- La Quinta by Wyndham (group block rate)
Leadership Bios
Lee DeForest
Coach Lee is in his seventh year as Director and Director of Operations at Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy. With 25+ years of coaching at the D1, D2, NAIA, and JUCO levels, he has developed players who have gone on to programs including Missouri (Sean East, currently in the NBA G-League), DePaul, Houston Baptist, and SIU Edwardsville. He won a state championship in 2011 and is an Amazon best-selling author of 5 basketball coaching books, including the Princeton Offense Mastery Blueprint. Lee is a U.S. Army Reserve veteran.
Kenny Anderson
NBA veteran and 1994 NBA All-Star, Kenny Anderson was the #2 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft (New Jersey Nets). He played 14 seasons in the NBA across nine teams: the Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers. Anderson is a Queens, NY native and a former head coach at Fisk University before joining the FCP staff.
Story Angles
Some angles journalists have found useful in covering the tournament:
- The streaming era of college recruiting: How free YouTube live streams have changed prep tournament recruiting more than any in-person factor — democratizing access for kids from smaller markets.
- The intimate showcase model: Why a single-court 12-team field is a counter-trend to the mega-bracket tournaments of the last decade.
- NBA veteran Kenny Anderson coaching the next generation: A 1994 All-Star and #2 overall pick now part of a small prep academy on the Florida Panhandle.
- Pricing transparency in prep basketball: Why $500 entry fees with no hidden costs matter at a level where many tournaments charge $1,500+.
- The Fort Walton Beach destination: An underrated basketball destination on the Florida Panhandle with March weather, regional drive access, and lower costs than the Tampa/Miami/Orlando triangle.
Media Assets
Coach Lee Headshot
Professional headshot. Right-click to save: download
NPT Logo
Tournament logo for editorial use: download
Venue Photo
FCP Sports gymnasium: download
Hero Image
Tournament action photo: download
Additional photos available on request. All images are usable for editorial coverage of the National Prep Tournament with credit "Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy."
Press & Interview Requests
For interviews with Coach Lee DeForest, Kenny Anderson, or participating coaches, or for additional information about the tournament, please reach out directly.
Coach Lee DeForest
info@floridacoastalprep.com ·
850.961.2323