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.

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.

Breaking: Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 recruit in the SC Next 100 Class of 2026, has committed to Kansas, he announced on Inside the NBA. pic.twitter.com/tPjZWdLYPo

The Jayhawks already added a pair of talented transfers in point guard Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo) and forward Keanu Dawes (Utah). Stokes joins a four-man recruiting class that already features another top-20 player in guard Tay Kinney and ranks fourth nationally.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Kansas Basketball: Top recruit Tyran Stokes commits to Jayhawks