Kentucky Basketball is closing in on a monumental recruiting win. Kansas is swinging lots of money and hometown Louisville apparently gave up according to social media reports.
Top overall 2026 recruit Tyran Stokes has picked up a Crystal Ball prediction to Kentucky, marking the first time since Nerlens Noel in 2012 that the Wildcats are trending for the nation’s No. 1 player.
Breaking down the projection
According to 247Sports insiders, their staff predictions have Stokes favoring Kentucky with medium confidence. While no commitment date has been announced, this projection signals that Mark Pope and his staff have seized control of one of the most high-profile recruitments in the nation.
Kansas made a serious push, but Stokes’ recent Nike deal changed everything. Programs like Kansas and Louisville, both heavily tied to adidas NIL pipelines, saw their leverage evaporate. Nike’s exclusivity limits outside marketing use, trimming millions from what those schools could offer…