KU Jayhawks have signed No. 1 class of ’25 star. Top ’26 player visits this week
The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team, which landed No. 1 class of 2025 prospect Darryn Peterson in November, now is involved heavily in the recruitment of the top player in the class of ‘26.
Tyran Stokes, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound junior forward from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, will make a campus recruiting visit to KU this weekend, he reported Tuesday on his Instagram account.
Stokes is the No. 1 ranked player in the class of 2026, according to ESPN and 247Sports, and No. 2 according to Rivals. Peterson, meanwhile, is currently the No. 1 rated player in the class of 2025 by 247Sports, No. 2 by ESPN and No. 3 by Rivals. None of the final rankings have been yet released with Naismith Player of the Year Peterson a strong candidate to move up to unanimous No. 1.
“KU see ya soon,” Stokes wrote on his Instagram, confirming his upcoming KU visit. In a second post, he posted a picture of himself dribbling the basketball with a KU Jayhawk logo above the word “visiting.”
Stokes, who is from Louisville, Kentucky, made a campus visit to Louisville’s campus last October. According to 247Sports he’s also considering KU, Kentucky, USC, UCLA, Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Houston, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, UCF, Auburn, North Carolina and Texas Tech.
Various recruiting writers have speculated that Stokes is considering a possible reclassification to the class of 2025 with an eye on playing for a college team this upcoming season.
The rumor gained steam after Stokes told Zagsblog.com recently that he would not play on the AAU circuit this spring and summer. He would be NBA Draft eligible in 2026 if he decides to reclassify and play his one-and-done season in 2025-26. It should be noted, however, Stokes told KSR radio last August that he definitely would play high school ball in 2025-26, enjoying high school while taking his time to choose a college.
Playing for the Oakland Soldiers on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer, Stokes averaged 20.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He hit over 50% of his shots and 40% of his 3’s. As a junior at (28-8) Notre Dame, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He posted double-doubles in 17 of his 29 games played.
Stokes was a member of the USA Basketball team that won gold in the FIBA U17 World Championships. He averaged 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game for Team USA.
“Stokes, a 6-7 forward, has had some up-and-down moments this year, but he’s still progressing in a distinctly linear way,” wrote recruiting writer Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports. “He’s made strides with both his shooting and his conditioning dating to last year. This season he’s picking his spots and really showcasing his passing prowess. Stokes’ size, power and length give him extreme potential as a jumbo initiator player who defies the limitations of most conventional positions.”
Of Stokes, On3’s Jamie Shaw wrote: “One look at Stokes and you see a physically imposing player. Not only does he carry optimal positional size, in the 6-7 range, but he also has a strong frame, with broad shoulders, and great length. Stokes can play either forward spot defensively and is most comfortable facing the basket on offense. While Stokes is big, his physical attributes – length and explosive burst – allow him to play bigger than he is listed. When Stokes turns on his alpha switch, this makes him a load for any high school player to attempt to contain. Where a good bit of Stokes’ production comes is in transition, where he shows a lot of instincts.”
Shaw added: “Once Stokes fills the lane and gets downhill, he attacks the front of the rim with a purpose. We saw this when Stokes, who at the time was a true 15 and under player playing up two age groups at the 17U level of Nike’s EYBL Circuit. That summer, the explosive wing averaged 11 points with the Vegas Elite program. His athleticism, even at that point, was too much for most to contain when he got a head of steam.”
Asked what he’s looking for in a college, Stokes told KSR radio: “Just somewhere I’m comfortable, somewhere that feels like home and somewhere I can play my game.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 9:47 AM with the headline "KU Jayhawks have signed No. 1 class of ’25 star. Top ’26 player visits this week."
