The No. 1 player in the 2026 college basketball recruiting class is heading to Lawrence.
On Tuesday, five-star small forward Tyran Stokes committed to the Kansas Jayhawks over Kentucky, a heated recruiting battle that went down to the end. Stokes, who plays at Rainier Beach in Seattle, stands at 6-foot-7 and will be an instant impact wing for KU.
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For Kentucky, it’s another disappointing recruiting loss that leaves a massive roster hole for the 2026-27 season. Stokes has already signed an NIL deal with Nike, and Kentucky is a Nike school while Kansas uses Adidas. That likely played a factor in his recruitment, but Kansas’ pitch was enough to overcome it.
Stokes was a McDonald’s All-American this season and has won multiple gold medals competing for Team USA on the national stage. Now, he takes his talents to the Big 12.
