As the new college basketball season begins, the Kentucky Wildcats are still looking to score their first class of 2026 commitment.
It looked like there was a chance that would come last week in the form
of No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes, who was rumored to be eyeing an October 10 decision, though that never came, leaving Kentucky fans to wonder if the Wildcats were still in the lead.
Thankfully, several recruiting experts still believe Kentucky is the favorite for Stokes, a Kentucky native who has already gotten projections to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
In a roundtable article, Rivals recruiting analysts Jamie Shaw and Joe Tipton, along with Jack Pilgrim of KSR and Shay Wildeboor of Jayhawk Slant, all picked Kentucky to win out for the top-ranked recruit.
Tipton, regarded as one of, if not the biggest recruiting expert in college basketball, did make it clear that while he’s picking Kentucky, Kansas is not to be counted out.
“Tyran Stokes is the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 class. Last week, there was a strong amount of Kentucky buzz for the Louisville native. After checking back in with sources, most still believe UK is the favorite, but I believe Kansas is the Wildcats’ biggest competition,” Tipton wrote. “If I was forced to make a prediction, it would be Kentucky, but I’m not counting out Bill Self and the Jayhawks.”
Shaw shared a similar sentiment.
“The two schools I am hearing the most for Stokes right now are Kentucky and Kansas, this has been a fluid recruitment throughout with Stokes not talking to the media,” said Shaw. “Most sources I’m talking with think it’s Kentucky, but they’re keeping eyes firmly planted on Kansas.”
The fact that Kansas is Kentucky’s biggest competitor makes this recruitment all the more important for Mark Pope and Co. to win. After all, the two programs are the all-time wins leaders, with Kentucky maintaining a narrow lead, and the Jayhawks are one of the Wildcats’ biggest rivals.
Plus, Kentucky faces Kansas in the Champions Classic next season. It would be really painful for Kentucky to watch the No. 1 overall recruit and Kentucky native suit up for the other team.
Then there’s the fact that Pope, while he has recruited extremely well, has to score a truly elite recruiting win. Guys like Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno certainly have promise, but neither finished as a top-15 recruit.
And while Jayden Quaintance was a big pickup through the transfer portal, he was easier to get since he’s recovering from an ACL tear that could sideline him through December.
Who will ultimately win this battle of blue bloods? We shouldn’t have to wait much longer to find out.
