A National Powerhouse and a Focused Florida Academy
If you are researching elite basketball programs, La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana is a name that belongs in the conversation. It is a respected Midwest boarding school with a nationally recognized basketball program and a list of alumni who have reached the NBA. For the right player, it is a legitimate national stage.
Florida Coastal Prep is built on a different model: a smaller, basketball-only academy on the Florida Panhandle that is organized around individual development and college placement rather than chasing national rankings. The two programs solve different problems for different players.
This page offers an honest, side-by-side comparison so you and your family can make an informed decision.
Program Overview
Florida Coastal Prep is a basketball-only academy in Fort Walton Beach on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Opened in 2019, FCP operates a dedicated 14,000 sq ft indoor training facility — the Spartan Training Center — and runs both a post-graduate program and a national high school program for grades 9–12. The roster is intentionally small so that every athlete gets real coaching attention. Athletes from 43 states and 22 countries have trained at FCP, and alumni have gone on to play at every college level from D1 to JUCO, with two reaching the NBA.
La Lumiere School is a Catholic college-preparatory boarding and day school in La Porte, Indiana, founded in 1963. It has built a nationally recognized boys basketball program that competes on the national prep circuit against schools like IMG Academy and Montverde Academy, and it has reportedly won a national high school championship. Its program has produced several players who have reached the NBA. It is a traditional boarding-school environment in the Midwest, with basketball as one part of a broader school built around academics and a Catholic, college-preparatory mission.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Florida Coastal Prep | La Lumiere School |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Fort Walton Beach, FL (Emerald Coast) | La Porte, IN (Midwest) |
| Program Type | Basketball-only academy | Catholic college-prep boarding & day school |
| Sport Priority | Basketball is the entire program | Nationally known basketball within a full school |
| Roster Model | Intentionally small roster — meaningful reps for every player | Highly selective national-team roster (reported) |
| Annual Cost | Significantly more affordable than the big national academies (see tuition); financial aid available | Premium boarding tuition (reported among the higher-cost prep schools) |
| Training Facility | 14,000 sq ft dedicated basketball center, NBA-dimension hardwood, 24/7 access | On-campus school athletic facilities |
| Coaching | NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson + Director Lee DeForest (25+ yrs) | Established prep coaching staff with a strong national reputation |
| Climate | Florida Panhandle — mild year-round, Emerald Coast beaches | Northern Indiana — cold, snowy winters, four full seasons |
| Housing | Supervised beachside team housing with live-in house coach | Traditional on-campus boarding-school dormitories |
| Academics | Accredited coursework + dual enrollment through Colorado Christian University | Catholic college-preparatory curriculum |
| Student Body | Athletes from 43 states and 22 countries | Boarding and day students across the full school |
| College Placement | D1 (incl. SEC, Big East, Big Sky, Ohio Valley), D2, NAIA, JUCO; two NBA alumni | Strong record placing players at high-major programs; multiple NBA alumni |
A National-Stage Model vs. A Development-First Model
This is the core difference between the two programs, and it matters more than the names on the marquee.
La Lumiere is built to compete on the national stage. Its boys basketball program recruits at a high level, plays a national schedule against the biggest prep names in the country, and has sent players to high-major college programs and the NBA. If you are already a highly recruited player who can earn minutes on a nationally ranked roster, that platform has real value — national exposure, elite competition, and a proven path for top-tier talent.
FCP is built differently. The roster is intentionally small, so the program is organized around the individual player rather than the team’s national ranking. Every athlete trains daily with NBA-level coaches, gets real game minutes, and works inside a personal recruiting plan. The goal is not to be the headline on a national bracket — it is to get each player placed at the best college program he can reach.
So the honest question is this: do you need a national-stage roster, or do you need a program where you will personally be developed and recruited every single day?
Coaching Quality
The single biggest factor in a player’s development is who is coaching them every day.
FCP’s coaching staff is built entirely around basketball. Director Lee DeForest has over 25 years of coaching experience across D1, D2, NAIA, and JUCO levels, with a direct track record of placing players at every college level. NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson — the 1991 #2 overall NBA Draft pick, 14-year NBA veteran, and 1994 All-Star — serves as Basketball Coach and Skills Development Director, working directly with athletes in daily skill sessions, film study, and game preparation.
ESPN’s Director of Recruiting, Paul Biancardi, visited the FCP campus and called it “first class treatment of players.”
La Lumiere has an established, well-regarded coaching staff with a strong national reputation, and its program has clearly developed players who reached the highest levels of the sport. It is a credible, accomplished basketball program. The difference is structural: at FCP, the coaching is delivered to a deliberately small roster by an NBA All-Star and a longtime college-placement coach, so daily access to that staff is high for every player, not just the headliners.
Cost and Value
La Lumiere is a full boarding school, and boarding tuition is reported to be among the higher-cost prep options. As with any prep school, families should confirm current tuition, fees, and any aid directly with the school.
FCP offers a comprehensive basketball program at a competitive price point — significantly more affordable than the big national academies (IMG, for example, runs over $80,000 a year, with Montverde comparable) — and awards partial scholarships and merit- and need-based financial assistance. View tuition details.
When evaluating cost, the question is not just the dollar amount. It is what you get for it. FCP’s program includes NBA-level basketball coaching, a dedicated 14,000 sq ft indoor training facility, supervised Emerald Coast housing, accredited academics with dual enrollment, Westside Barbell strength programming five days a week, national competition exposure, and an individual recruiting plan for every athlete. For a family investing in a year of basketball development, every dollar should go toward basketball.
Player Development
Development is not about the name on the program. It is about the daily reps, the quality of coaching, and the environment built around your game.
FCP’s small-roster model means every player receives meaningful court time in practice and games. Athletes train daily at the Spartan Training Center — a 14,000 sq ft indoor facility with NBA-dimension hardwood, 24/7 access, two Shoot-Away shooting machines, a 60 ft turf training zone, and a performance zone. Strength and conditioning runs five days a week on the Westside Barbell conjugate method, and film study and position-specific skill work are built into every week.
La Lumiere develops players inside a deep, competitive program that plays against the best teams in the country. That environment can sharpen elite players quickly. The trade-off on a nationally ranked roster is that minutes and individual attention are earned against very strong competition for them — a great challenge for a top recruit, and a harder path for a player who still needs concentrated reps to break through.
For a player who needs focused, individual development in the year that matters most, a small program designed entirely around that is a meaningful edge.
College Placement
FCP has placed athletes at every level of college basketball since 2019 — D1 conferences including the SEC, Big East, Big Sky, and Ohio Valley, plus D2, NAIA, and JUCO programs. Two FCP alumni have reached the NBA, and alumni have also played in the NBA G-League. Athletes from 43 states and 22 countries have come through the program.
Every FCP athlete receives an individual recruiting plan, professional game film, exposure at national events through the SIAA national circuit, Grind Session, and SEHAL schedules, and direct outreach to college coaching staffs across all divisions. The coaching staff has active relationships with college programs at every level.
La Lumiere has a strong placement record of its own, sending players to high-major college programs and producing multiple NBA alumni. For a highly recruited player who fits a national roster, that pipeline is real. The distinction is that FCP’s placement effort is individualized for every player on a small roster, across all divisions — not just the high-major prospects at the top of the depth chart.
Who Should Choose FCP
FCP is the right fit if you want:
- Basketball-only development in a program where every coach, every facility, and every scheduled minute is focused on making you a better basketball player
- NBA-level coaching from Kenny Anderson and a staff with 25+ years of college placement results
- A small roster where you get real minutes and daily individual attention instead of fighting for a spot on a nationally ranked depth chart
- Florida year-round — Emerald Coast climate and beach environment, no Midwest winters
- A more affordable investment than the big national academies, with financial aid available
- Proven college placement at every level — D1 through JUCO — with an individual recruiting plan for each athlete
Ready to see if FCP is right for you? Apply now or contact our coaching staff to schedule a conversation.
Who Might Prefer La Lumiere School
La Lumiere may be a better fit for athletes who:
- Are already highly recruited and want a spot on a nationally ranked roster playing a national schedule against the country’s top prep programs
- Want the national exposure that comes from competing on that elite circuit
- Are looking for a traditional Catholic college-preparatory boarding school with a full academic and residential community, not a basketball-only academy
- Have a connection to the Midwest and prefer to train and study closer to that region
Both programs have produced college and NBA players. The decision comes down to what kind of environment brings out the best in your specific player.
Take the Next Step
| Explore more about the FCP experience: Post-Grad Program | High School Program | Training Facility | Housing | Academics | Coaches | Spartan Alumni |