Five-star small forward Tyran Stokes has committed to the Kansas Jayhawks, picking them over the Kentucky Wildcats. He announced his decision Tuesday on “Inside the NBA.”
It is a massive blow to Kentucky's roster to miss out on Stokes, who is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but has played all across the country during his high school career. He has the talent to elevate any roster in the country and is the type of player that Mark Pope needed to add ahead of a critical season.
He had an extremely productive senior season at Rainier Beach in Seattle, Washington, leading them to a 26-1 record and a state championship. He averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and four steals per game, according to MaxPreps, and was named their Washington High School Basketball Player of the Year.
At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds has a special skillset and is set to be one of the most talented players in the country next season. While he needs to keep improving as a shooter, he excels when attacking the basket, is a strong rebounder, and can create for his teammates. He is also a skilled defender due to his length and footwork.
Stokes is the consensus No. 1 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class and was Kentucky's top target. The Wildcats have landed just one high school player this offseason, four-star point guard Mason Williams. Kentucky is set to have a talented roster next season, but adding Stokes to the group would have elevated its ceiling.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball target Tyran Stokes commits to Kansas