Kansas Remains In The Mix For 2026 5-Star Taylen Kinney

Originally posted on Heartland College Sports
By Brian McQuillen | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 10:47 AM ET

The No. 1 overall point guard in the Class of 2026, Taylen Kinney, cut his list of programs down to 12, which included the Kansas Jayhawks, per Joe Tipton.

Kinney is also considering Auburn, Kentucky, Louisville, Texas, Arkansas, Xavier, Purdue, Oregon, Tennessee, Miami, and Indiana.

His official visit with KU is set for Aug. 22, but he has already visited Kentucky, Louisville, and Purdue.

NEWS: 5⭐️ Tay Kinney is down to 12 schools, source tells @Rivals.

The 6-2 rising senior is one of the top point guards in the country. https://t.co/OlCaBZUirS pic.twitter.com/9yMcl6P9Lj
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 22, 2025

“Bill Self, he’s a great coach. He’s got a national championship,” Kinney said in an interview with Tipton. “I really wanna see what they do with DP (Darryn Peterson) this year.”

The Newport, Kentucky, native competes in the Overtime Elite League in Atlanta, Georgia, and also had Kansas State in his top 15 before cutting his list.

Last season, he averaged 20.1 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game.

While Kinney is the top player at his position in the 2026 cycle, 247Sports ranked him as the 11th-best overall prospect and the best player in Georgia.

Head coach Bill Self has put together a strong 2025 recruiting class that includes five-star guard Darryn Peterson and four-star prospect Kohl Rosario.

The Jayhawks went 21-13 last season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team has not gone past the Round of 32 since its championship run in 2022.

This article first appeared on Heartland College Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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