Class of 2026 five star guard Taylen Kinney will be taking an official visit to Kansas on August 22nd according to Sam Kayser.
NEWS: 2026 5⭐️ Taylen Kinney will take an official visit to Kansas and Bill Self on August 22nd, sources told @LeagueRDY.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) July 15, 2025
Kinney recently took visits to Kentucky and Louisville and also recently setup a visit to Arkansas for the fall.
One of the top guard prospects in 2026. #17… pic.twitter.com/9cwnpOxrTU
As it stands earlier today, fellow class of 2026 star Deron Rippey Jr. completed his top-12 with the Jayhawks in the mention.
Kinney is rated as the 11th-best player in the class of '26, according to 247Sports, making himself the No.1 point guard in the nation and the No.1 recruit out of Georgia.
Kinney was analyzed by 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein in late May,
"Kinney is a scoring and playmaking lead guard who is smooth and versatile with his attack. He’s a three-range scoring threat who is creative and crisp with his handle, especially adept at getting to his pull-up, but can also get to the paint. He can rise-up at the rim when he has some momentum, and also owns dexterity and touch as a lay-up maker. He’s capable of knocking down open threes, with a plenty projectable stroke, but could get more consistent after making 33% in the OTE last season and short-arming his release at times. Kinney also has good natural instincts and timing as a passer, averaging 5 assists per game as a junior. He’s great in drive-and-kick type actions but also understands how to feed the post. While he’s naturally aggressive, he does so without unnecessarily dominating the ball as he plays within the flow pretty instinctively. Defensively, he’s good with his hands and shown flashes of being able to blow-up ball screens, but like most kids his age, just needs to be more consistent with his approach. Physically, while he measures in at just over 6-foot-1, he plays much bigger than his size, thanks his long 6-foot-6-plus wingspan, increased muscle mass, and the physicality in his game."
Kinney has official visits set for a number of elite programs, including Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Indiana, Oregon, Texas and Arkansas. With Kinney set to be planted fourth on that visit timeline with the Wildcats, Cardinals, and Boilermakers all already hosting the sought-after guard.
In the 2024/25 season for Overtime Elite, Kinney posted 20.1 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals on a notable 55.6% shooting split.
As it stands, Kinney would be the first recruit of the 2026 class for Kansas coach Bill Self, as Self has yet to pick up any stars to replace some possible fleeting talent for the Jayhawks.