St. John Bosco's (Calif.) Brandon McCoy Jr. dunks the ball as the Braves take on the Central Bulldogs during the 39th Annual Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions at Great Southern Bank Arena on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kansas Emerging as Real Contender for 2026 5-Star Brandon McCoy

Originally posted on Kansas Jayhawks on SI
By Joshua Schulman | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 2:29 AM ET

Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks are leaving no stone unturned in the 2026 recruiting class.

KU coaches have been heavily active on the EYBL circuit in recent days, and that included tracking 5-star combo guard Brandon McCoy, a top-3 player in the country.

McCoy, a 6-foot-4 standout from St. John Bosco High School (CA), spoke to recruiting analyst Sam Lance and named Kansas as one of the schools involved in his recruitment.

"Coach Bill Self, I haven’t talked to him personally, but coach [Kurtis] Townsend. They win. Coach Self is a solidified coach and been a coach there for a long time," McCoy told ZagsBlog. "So we know what we’re going to get out of him. I wouldn’t be surprised if I went there. I feel like I know I would get better if I went there."

Top-3 prospect Brandon McCoy Jr. discusses return to Arizona Unity, updates recruitment.

https://t.co/cnvRB3Xpop pic.twitter.com/GxttUPXX86
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 13, 2025

As the No. 3 overall player in 247 Sports' 2026 rankings, McCoy currently plays for Arizona Unity on the EYBL circuit and is viewed as one of the best rising seniors in the country.

McCoy certainly made a strong impression on Self and Co. on Sunday in Unity's win over Team Durant, where he posted 20 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, and three assists.

While Kansas extended an offer to McCoy in September 2023, the Jayhawks had not been seriously discussed as a potential destination until now.

MORE: Three Dream Targets for Kansas Basketball in 2026 Recruiting Class

McCoy added that he will schedule official visits once his AAU schedule slows down. Kansas could be in line to receive one, joining other top programs like Duke, Alabama, and Kentucky in the race to land his services.

The Blue Devils hosted him for a visit last November, but nothing has been finalized regarding future travel plans.

Although the Jayhawks seem to be prioritizing fellow 5-star phenoms Tyran Stokes and Caleb Holt in the 2026 class, they could pivot to McCoy if either recruitment begins to slip out of reach.

This article first appeared on Kansas Jayhawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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