New Kansas Commit Taylen Kinney Reveals Player He Is Recruiting to Jayhawks

Kansas basketball landed a massive commitment from 5-star point guard Taylen Kinney this weekend, giving Bill Self his first pledge in the 2026 freshman class.

The Jayhawks had been tied to Kinney for quite some time, hosting him for an official visit in August and gaining serious traction with him in early September.

Now that he has pledged to KU, Kinney isn't finished with his recruiting journey just yet. He already has his eye on several players he'd like to join him in Lawrence, starting with none other than Tyran Stokes.

In a recent interview with On3 insider Joe Tipton, Kinney said that he already knew a player who is KU-bound and added that he is also recruiting Stokes and Davion Adkins.

"Shoot, I already know one [player] that’s coming," Stokes said yesterday. "Right when I said I was going, I put that call in. I ain’t going to say his name, but he going to announce. And then trying to get Tyran."

Tyran Stokes to Kansas?

Stokes, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class according to most recruiting outlets, is a high-flying, athletic forward and one of the most dominant prospects in the nation.

He competes at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, and is widely regarded as the strongest and most athletic player in his class. At 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, Stokes is a physical specimen who can attack the rim at an elite level.

Stokes had been tied to Kansas earlier this year, but Self’s coaching staff seemingly eased its pursuit of the top-rated prospect after schools like Kentucky, Oregon, and Arkansas began to go all in.

He took an official visit to KU in April, then followed that with trips to Kentucky in June and both USC and Oregon in September. Kinney's push to bring him to Lawrence could signal a shift in the Jayhawks' approach.

Kinney alone won't be enough to secure his commitment, but it is possible the two guards have already discussed teaming up and pushing KU to allocate more attention toward a player of Stokes' caliber now that Kinney is on board.

The Overtime Elite also teased that he knows of another player who will be committing to the Jayhawks in due time. While he didn't name names, potential options include 5-star center Ethan Taylor or Adkins, both of whom have been connected to Kansas.

Ultimately, the addition of Kinney does more than just add another elite talent to KU's roster. His presence gives the Jayhawks serious momentum on the recruiting trail, both with his own game and with the influence he has in bringing more top prospects to Lawrence.