What has made the 2025 college basketball recruiting class compelling is the strength of its top players on paper. BYU freshman AJ Dybansta has been viewed as the No. 1 overall player in the class. In contrast, other stars such as Cameron Boozer (Duke), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and even Nate Ament (Tennessee) have been viewed as top prospects.
However, there’s no debate as to who the No. 1 prospect is in the 2026 recruiting class. That’s Tyran Stokes, a 6’7 forward who resides in California but is originally from Louisville, Kentucky. He’s a tremendous all-around talent, capable of scoring anywhere on the court and can defend at a high level. Stokes can shoot the ball well, is a quality playmaker for a forward, and should be a star at the collegiate level.
NEWS: 2026 5⭐️ Tyran Stokes (@tyran_stokes) announced on ESPN he’s down to five schools:
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) October 6, 2025
Kansas
Oregon
Kentucky
Louisville
USC
The 6-7 forward has taken visits to all five finalists. #1 overall in the @SCNext 100. pic.twitter.com/SNQNWcZXWx
The recruitment for Stokes reportedly is coming to a close, with five programs in the hunt to land him. Here’s a look at each team and their odds of landing Stokes.
Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks’ best player on paper is another top prospect in Darryn Peterson, so Stokes can come in and follow the same path a year from now. Coach Bill Self has always been willing to put the ball in freshmen's hands, and many former Jayhawks have played in the NBA. The biggest thing with Kansas is the health status of HC Bill Self, who has reportedly gone through some scares in the past. If he’s around for the 2026-27 campaign, then it should be an issue, but that may not be 100% certain.
Kentucky Wildcats
Coach Mark Pope has been very aggressive in the 2026 class, getting many visits with top prospects. But Stokes has been the one they’ve focused on most and would be the biggest win for Pope since arriving in Lexington. Power forward is the one weak spot on the roster going forward, and Stokes would clear that up, along with playing with whoever the Wildcats can land in the class. There’s a good chance that with Stokes, Kentucky will be a top-3 or better preseason team a year from now.
Louisville Cardinals
As the “hometown” option, Louisville makes plenty of sense if Stokes wants to play back at home. This wouldn’t have even been a viable option for a top prospect two years ago. Still, Coach Pat Kelsey has immediately built the team back into being national contenders, now a preseason Final Four threat. They’re going to be losing Kasean Pryor after this year and will make the case for Stokes being the face of the offense a year from now.
Oregon Ducks
Oregon got great news last week with the commitment of Tajh Ariza, a five-star wing prospect in the 2026 class. Pairing him up with Stokes would be a massive deal in the Big Ten, similar to the Rutgers star duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper from a year ago. Of course, we saw what happened when a team relies on two young players in one of the top conferences in college basketball. However, as long as starting guard Jackson Shelstad is back for his senior year, this could be a compelling option for Stokes.
USC Trojans
HC Eric Musselman’s love for transfers makes this an unknown situation for players like Stokes, since anyone could be his teammate. But to be clear, he’d be a top option no matter who comes from the portal. Playing in Los Angeles for a contending team would do wonders for his individual profile, and it’s an offensive system that should be suitable for him. But compared to some of the other options, the Trojans aren’t as much of a lock to be national contenders.