There came a point in Tyran Stokes' recruitment where it felt like seeing him in a Kansas uniform would never happen. The No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2026 took his time when deciding where he would play college basketball, ultimately coming down to two schools: Kansas and Kentucky.
The Wildcats were the early favorite, but Bill Self should never be counted out as Kansas quickly overtook Kentucky in the race. After Self announced his decision, it still took time, but Stokes finally announced he would be in a Jayhawks uniform next season.
After a long recruitment, Stokes is finally on campus in Lawrence and beginning summer workouts with the rest of the 2026-2027 roster. Fans have gotten glimpses of the roster arriving on campus, but now they get to see Stokes on the court in Allen Fieldhouse, and it could not be a more beautiful sight.
The Kansas Men's Basketball social media page shared a short video of Stokes on the court, executing a sick step back for a three-point dagger. That is a move fans hope to see a lot against opponents next season.
Looks right at home pic.twitter.com/6sjkJF9gl5
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) June 2, 2026
Tyran Stokes will have to carry a lot for Kansas next season
Stokes is finally on campus working with Self and the rest of this Kansas squad ahead of what feels like could be one of the biggest seasons for Kansas basketball in a long time. For the first time in a long time, Kansas fans thought they might see a different head coach on the sideline next season.
The news that Self could actually choose to retire this offseason was not something Kansas fans thought they would hear for a long time. However, there is no need to fear yet as Self is staying, and he is truly looking forward to working with Stokes, who will be the focal point for this Kansas team next season.
With a very young roster next season, Stokes will have a completely different-looking team than he did last season, with not a single starter returning. So, instead of going for a wealth of experience in the transfer portal, Self loaded up on young freshman talent, bringing in seven recruits in the Class of 2026, all headlined by Stokes.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward will be counted on to do a lot for Kansas next season. While Stokes is most comfortable in the paint, he could be used as a ball-handler and even a sharp-shooter out on the wing. Stokes' versatility is what made him such an enticing recruit to begin with, and now that versatility will be put to the test as Self may need him to play multiple roles for the Jayhawks.
The talent surrounding Stokes isn't lacking by any means, but it is young, with fellow five-star Taylen Kinney joining Stokes in this stacked recruiting class. Self also hit the portal for some experience, bringing in big man Keanu Dawes from Utah and Christian Reeves, as well as shooting power with Leroy Blyden Jr. and Dennis Parker Jr.
Let's not forget about returning Jayhawks, as Self saw big man Paul Mbiya and once highly touted three-pointer shooter Kohl Rosario both choose to stick with Kansas. Both played limited minutes for Kansas last season, but bring the experience of being in Self's system before.
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