Insider Projects Taylen Kinney To Commit to Kansas Basketball

A 6-foot-2 point guard who plays for Rod Wave Elite in the Overtime Elite League, Kinney is the No. 13 overall player and the top-ranked point guard in the 2026 class, according to 247 Sports. He recently shined at the OTE Pro Day and was arguably the top performer from the event.

Kinney was long considered a Louisville or Kentucky lock, but Kansas has swooped in over the past few weeks after hosting him on an official visit during the weekend of Aug. 22. He is an all-around superstar who contributes in every aspect of the game.

While he is still scheduled to visit Arkansas starting Sept. 26, it remains to be seen whether that visit takes place. The true competitors in his recruitment are Kansas, Louisville, and Kentucky, with Indiana lingering as a long shot after hosting him a week after KU.

Momentum has clearly been trending toward the Jayhawks, but Tipton’s recent prediction takes things to another level. When someone as respected as him makes a call, it’s worth paying attention to.

Of course, recruiting is as volatile as it gets, especially with high school prospects. A school could always swoop in at the last moment with a bigger NIL deal that changes everything.

But in recent weeks, all signs have pointed to Kansas taking control of Kinney’s recruitment.

Earlier this month, Tipton tabbed the Jayhawks and Louisville as the two 'frontrunners' for Kinney, noting that Kentucky has shifted its focus toward fellow five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Kinney is likely choosing between two Adidas schools in Kansas and Louisville, and his representation could factor into his final decision.

It’s still surprising to see Kansas in position to flip a recruitment like this for a native of Newport, Kentucky. But for now, it looks as though Louisville may have lost out on his services.

Assuming no other players commit to KU before his decision day, Kinney could be putting on a Jayhawk hat two weeks from now to pledge to the University of Kansas.