The latest Tyran Stokes rumors are exactly what Kansas fans need to hear

2026 recruiting is mostly finished, but the No. 1 player in the country still seems to be undecided. For much of the process, all signs have pointed to Lawrence, Kansas, but in the past week, Washington has suddenly emerged for the 6-foot-7, 230-pound McDonald’s All-American who played his final high school season at Rainer Beach High School in Seattle. 

Most expect the decision to come next weekend after the Nike Hoop Summit on April 11, and it will come down to Kansas, Oregon, Kentucky, Gonzaga, and Washington, with the latter two schools in the Pacific Northwest making late charges. While momentum is swinging away from Kansas, with Bill Self set to return for next season, the Jayhawks are still the favorites. 

Recruiting insider Adam Zagoria, who first reported about Washington and Gonzaga’s sudden involvement in the proceedings, shared what he heard from a college coach in Indianapolis for the Final Four. “Tyran Stokes is going to end up at Kansas,” the coach told Zagoria, citing the relationship between Kansas assistant Kurtis Townsend and Stokes’ agent, Aaron Goodwin. 

Kansas should still be considered the favorite for Stokes

While Stokes may wait until April 11 or later to make his announcement, Kansas needs to know sooner rather than later whether or not he’s coming to Lawrence. Stokes is the type of player who will change the entire complexion of whichever roster he joins, and while Kansas already has the No. 3 class in the country with Taylen Kinney headlining the group, Self would need to make a major splash in the Transfer Portal if he missed out on Stokes. 

Flory Bidunga has already announced his plans to enter the Transfer Portal and test the NBA Draft waters. He did the same last offseason before returning to Kansas, but his market will be even more robust after a stellar sophomore season. 

With Bidunga and Stokes, Kansas should be able to compete with Arizona, Houston, and Iowa State for the Big 12 title. Without them, the Jayhawks may lack the top-end talent necessary to reach the lofty standard Self has set in Lawrence. Kansas is also losing Darryn Peterson to the NBA, and Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White to graduation from a team that lacked depth and bench scoring even when Peterson was healthy down the stretch. 

If either Bidunga or Stokes ends up elsewhere, Self and his staff can use those savings to land a top portal class. But there’s no way to replace a talent like Stokes, who is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. 

Kansas needs Stokes to become a Jayhawk. And for Jayhawks fans, it has to be comforting to hear that’s still the expectation around the rest of the country.