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Kentucky has Big Buzz for Nation’s Top-Ranked High School Senior

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Neil Adler | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 4:01 PM ET

Kentucky has some big buzz for the nation’s top-ranked high school senior, consensus five-star small forward Tyran Stokes. Analysts at 247Sports and Rivals are projecting the Wildcats to land the 6-foot-7 Stokes, a standout at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Kentucky has Big Buzz for Nation’s Top-Ranked High School Senior

Earlier this week, Stokes dropped a top five of Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon, Kansas and Southern California. He has officially visited all five programs. Joe Tipton of On3/Rivals noted in an article that Stokes might be eyeing a commitment announcement on Friday, Oct. 10. Tipton said he thinks Kentucky is carrying the most momentum in Stokes’ recruitment these days.

The 247Sports staff, on Monday, logged a prediction in Kentucky’s direction for Stokes. Travis Branham, a national analyst at 247Sports, says Stokes’ recruiting process is boiling down to three schools. They are Kansas, Kentucky and Oregon. Branham writes that for weeks, it was a toss-up between these three suitors, but he says Kentucky has moved out in front.

Jamie Shaw, a national analyst with On3/Rivals, is also projecting the Wildcats to ultimately prevail for Stokes, who is the universal No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class. While there have been twists and turns in the recruitment of Stokes, a Louisville native, Shaw says Kentucky has remained a constant. Shaw also notes that Oregon is the biggest threat to the Wildcats winning out for Stokes.

Oakland Soldiers’ Tyran Stokes (4) shoots a free throw during a game at Nike EYBL at the Memphis Sports & Events Center on Saturday, May 17, 2025. © Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stokes was Top Performer at Border League

This past weekend, Stokes suited up at the 2025 Border League in Las Vegas, with college coaches, media members and NBA scouts in attendance. The annual showcase features some of the nation’s top high school programs and prospects. Stokes didn’t disappoint. Various analysts and scouts named him one of the top performers at the Border League, including Shaw.

On the event’s final day, Stokes and Notre Dame played on ESPN2. While Stokes didn’t have a great shooting performance, he was aggressive when he had the ball in his hands. He also displayed excellent passing, court vision and floor spacing, Shaw says. Stokes is extremely talented and able to physically overwhelm many of the opposing defenders who try to guard him.

Stokes is poised for a big-time senior year. He was an All-American as a junior. This spring and summer, Stokes was terrific on the Nike EYBL circuit with the 17U team of the Oakland Soldiers. And in July, Stokes helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Kentucky Eyes a Top 2026 Class

The Wildcats, led by head coach Mark Pope, remain on the hunt for their first 2026 pledge. It could be Stokes, but Kentucky coaches are pursuing other 2026 four-star and five-star prospects. One is top-10 overall player Deron Rippey Jr., a five-star point guard from Brooklyn, N.Y.

The 6-foot-2 Rippey, out of the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., has Kentucky in his top nine. He’s currently taking an official visit to the Wildcats. Rippey recently took an official visit to Syracuse. Coming up, he will officially visit Duke, Tennessee and N.C. State, and then Rippey will likely trim down his list of contenders to around five schools.

Other 2026 recruits to monitor, if you’re a Kentucky fan, include five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr., five-star power forward Cameron Williams, five-star shooting guard Caleb Holt, five-star small forward Anthony Thompson, five-star power forward Christian Collins, five-star small forward Maximo Adams and five-star center Arafan Diane, among others.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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