LAWRENCE — The long-awaited commitment has finally arrived, as Tyran Stokes has announced his commitment to Kansas basketball on Tuesday on ESPN.

Stokes, 247Sports’ No. 1 prospect in the class of 2026, gives the KU program a jolt of momentum as the Jayhawks look ahead to competing in the Big 12 Conference and nationally next season. Led by another high-profile prospect in Darryn Peterson this past season, Kansas wasn’t able to quite meet expectations. However, now, coach Bill Self and company will have another chance to reach the heights of the sport that so many associate with KU.

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Stokes, listed by 247Sports at 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, was also considering Kentucky before deciding on Kansas. As much as fans will continue to watch who the Jayhawks add through the transfer portal this offseason, his arrival will be the focal point of any further discussion about the team’s roster.

KU finished this past season with a loss in the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament, missing out on the second weekend in March Madness once again. Since the national championship run in 2022, the Jayhawks haven’t been able to even get that far. With Stokes on the roster, that’ll be the baseline for expectations next season.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Tyran Stokes commits to Kansas basketball as nation’s top recruit