The battle for five-star 2026 No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes is still on, and Kentucky might have just fallen out of the race. The top teams in the running for Stokes' recruitment are Kansas and Kentucky, and even though the Wildcats had an early lead, the Jayhawks have taken over.
Kentucky just took a hit with the recruitment of Stokes, as the leading recruiter for the five-star small forward, Jason Hart, has now departed from Lexington and joined the coaching staff at SMU. Hart was not only the leading recruiter for Stokes, but also for Dink Pate, a G League player Mark Pope is interested in.
Jason Hart was the leading recruiter on Tyran Stokes and Dink Pate
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 25, 2026
Kansas must find a way to land Tyran Stokes even with the possibility of Bill Self's retirement
As much as Hart leaving Kentucky could hurt the Wildcats' chance of landing Stokes' commitment, Kansas could also take a hit. Head coach Bill Self is contemplating retirement, and there is buzz that it could actually happen, which could hurt Kansas just the same in the recruitment of Stokes.
Stokes is going to have to make a commitment soon, with his graduation looming and beginning summer workouts with whichever team he chooses. So, if Kansas can land him signing soon, it could work out for the Jayhawks, even if they ended up having to get a new coach.
Being able to build around Stokes next season, with Self as the coach or not, will be crucial for Kansas, which is losing Darryn Peterson to the NBA. The Jayhawks need a dynamic shooter who can also move the ball well.
It feels like Kansas has just been given a gift when it comes to the recruitment of Stokes and if an NIL deal can be decided on, maybe the Jayhawks could have a new small forward to work with next season.