Even in the middle of the season, Kansas head coach Bill Self knows that recruiting never stops, and going after five-star players is a part of the Jayhawks' brand. As a blueblood on the hardwood, Kansas always seems to be in the race for the top prospects in every recruiting class, and right now the Jayhawks are hot on the trail for the No. 1 2026 prospect.
Five-star small forward Tyran Stokes is the bona fide No. 1 player in the Class of 2026. Even though Kentucky seemed to be the favorite early, when the Early Signing Period passed and no commitment was made, Self knew he could make a move.
Stokes, who has narrowed his terms down to Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon, just played his senior night, where he dropped a career-high 63 points. Stokes' impressive performance didn't go unseen as Self made sure assistant coach Tony Bland was in the stands to see what a potential future Jayhawk could do.
Landing 5-star SF Tyran Stokes could be huge for Kansas with Darryn Peterson going one and done
While Kentucky was the early favorite, it seems like Kansas could be slowly taking the lead, especially with Stokes in the building for the Jayahwks masive win over BYU, which also happened to be the 1,000th game in Allen Fieldhouse. The atmosphere was electric, and Stokes was able to see Kansas dominate.
With star freshman Darryn Peterson heading to the NBA after this season, Stokes could step right into his position as the star on the court, making an immediate difference for the Jayhawks. Stokes wants more than just a program focused on basketball; he wants somewhere that feels like home.
"I want to play for someone who really appreciates me outside of the court,” Stokes recently told Rivals. “Someone who’s going to talk with me about life, not just basketball. I’m looking for a home."
Self could gain a commitment from the top prospect in the Class of 2026 and become another immediate contender for the 2026-2027 college basketball season, but he needs to pull out all the stops.