Kansas coach Bill Self hosting top 2026 player on visit

The No. 1 player in the 2026 high school boys basketball class will take a visit to Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks this weekend, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

Tyran Stokes, a forward out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA, will also skip the grassroots circuit this summer, leading to speculation that he might reclassify to 2025 and enroll in college in the fall. Stokes has already said he doesn’t plan to reclassify.

Regardless of when Stokes ends up in college, he’s an elite prospect, making this a huge weekend for Kansas basketball. Self and the Jayhawks are coming off of consecutive down years, at least by their standards, going 44-24 overall the last two seasons. They have not reached the Sweet 16 since winning the national title in 2022.

Kansas currently has ESPN’s No. 2 overall prospect Darryn Peterson committed to join the team for 2025-26. The shooting guard out of Ohio headlines a Jayhawks class that also includes top 100 talent Samis Calderon.

For Stokes’ part, he has offers from just about every major program, as you’d expect from the best prospect in the country. A Louisville native, Stokes is considering the Cardinals, as well as Kentucky, Michigan, Auburn, Houston and others, according to SI.com.

Stokes’ On3 scouting report paints an intriguing picture for any school lucky enough to land him.

“One look at Tyran Stokes and you see a physically imposing player,” On3’s Jamie Shaw wrote. “Not only does he carry optimal positional size, in the 6-foot-7 range, but he also has a strong frame, with broad shoulders, and great length. Stokes can play either forward spot defensively and is most comfortable facing the basket on offense.While Stokes is big, his physical attributes – length and explosive burst – allow him to play bigger than he is listed. When Stokes turns on his alpha switch, this makes him a load for any high school player to attempt to contain.”

Though Stokes won’t play EYBL this summer, he lit up the circuit last year for the Oakland Soldiers, averaging 20.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. His numbers were even better in the high school season.