Stokes, potential No. 1 pick in ’27 NBA draft, chooses Kansas

Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 senior in the country and the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, will play for Kansas next season, he announced Tuesday.

Stokes chose the Jayhawks over Kentucky, announcing his decision on ESPN’s “NBA Tip-Off” before the start of Tuesday’s playoff games. He is ranked No. 1 on ESPN’s 2026 SC Next 100.

Kansas and Kentucky waged an intense recruiting battle for Stokes’ commitment, going back and forth over the last several months. The Wildcats seemed to be the clear leader in the fall, but when the early signing period came and went without a commitment from Stokes, Kansas surged and appeared to become the favorite as the college season progressed. After the season, however, Stokes went on a visit to Kentucky, and the Wildcats closed the gap. But Kansas was able to hold off the late push from Mark Pope’s program.

Stokes is a massive and much-needed recruiting win for Bill Self and Kansas. He’s the second five-star commitment for the Jayhawks in the 2026 class, joining point guard Taylen Kinney, and gives Self a potential No. 1 NBA draft pick for the second straight season after Darryn Peterson spent this past season in Lawrence. Kansas also now has the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country.

After four straight seasons without advancing to the Sweet 16, Self has a preseason All-American and focal point for next season’s team in Stokes. His commitment comes on the heels of portal additions Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo), Keanu Dawes (Utah) and Christian Reeves (Charleston).

A 6-foot-7 small forward, Stokes has been considered the best player in his class for most of the last couple of years. He earned several power-conference scholarship offers before his freshman season at Prolific Prep (California) even began, making a name for himself playing with older age groups on the Nike EYBL circuit and with USA Basketball.

Stokes, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, transferred to Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles in the summer of 2024 but then left days before his senior season began back in November. He ultimately enrolled at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle and played there this past season. Stokes helped lead Rainier Beach to a state championship — including a 63-point performance on his senior night in front of assistant coaches from Kansas and Kentucky.

Last summer, Stokes was the best player on the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Oakland Soldiers program.

He has won three gold medals with USA Basketball, including at the FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in 2023, the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in 2024 and last summer’s FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. Over the course of 20 games at those three tournaments, he averaged 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Stokes possesses an uncommon mix of scoring, playmaking and high-volume rebounding. According to Synergy Sports data, he shot 51% from the field and 36% from 3-point range last summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, while getting to the free throw line 10.4 times per game, one of the highest marks in that database. He attacks the rim with Anthony Edwards-level force and routinely earns trips to the line.

Next season should provide a clearer picture of his decision-making and passing, which are already exceptional for a player with his physical tools. His playmaking approach draws comparisons to Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers.