Five-star shooting guard Taylen Kinney sat down with On3's Joe Tipton to talk about his recruitment process and announced an exciting step forward with the Kansas Jayhawks, naming them as one of two schools he planned to schedule a visit with.
The Georgia native has already visited the UK Wildcats a half-dozen times or so, alongside taking trips to visit the Louisville Cardinals as well.
Kinney discussed his interest in the Wildcats and Cardinals, as well as the Texas Longhorns, Oregon Ducks, Arkansas Razorbacks, Indiana Hoosiers, and Jayhawks.
However, Kinney has already signed a ground-breaking NIL deal, despite still being in high school for another season. That brand? Adidas – which sponsors just two of the teams on Kinney's list: Louisville and, of course, Kansas.
2026 Top-15 recruit Tay Kinney provides an update on his recruitment, discussing Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon, Texas, and Indiana.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 11, 2025
The 6-3 PG also plans to schedule visits to Arkansas and Kansas, and opens up about his adidas deal and whether it will impact his decision:… pic.twitter.com/FKQmE4gS1p
While brand deals aren't everything, despite NIL deals and sponsorships becoming the name of the game in college athletics, it could give the Jayhawks the edge they need to sway Kinney in their direction.
Getting to wear your brand's shoes and gear while playing for your team is exactly what players (and their sponsors) are looking for in the modern day and age of college sports. In other words, why would a brand give an athlete their money just for them to wear another brand on game day?
Sure, Ohio State's star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith just signed with Adidas despite the OSU Buckeyes being sponsored by Nike, but he's one of the best players in the entire country. Comparing that deal to Kinney's recruitment is a little like comparing apples to oranges.
Another hurdle that could appear in Kansas's recruitment of the young point guard is the fact that he plays basketball for Overtime Elite in Newport, KY, which is just an hour and a half from Lexington (where the Wildcats play) or an hour and 45 minutes from Louisville.
Kinney has yet to announce the date of his visit to Lawrence, but an impressive showing by Kansas head coach Bill Self, alongside the brand alignment, could secure his commitment for the Jayhawks.