Tyran Stokes, nation's No. 1 boys basketball recruit, commits to Kansas
Tyran Stokes, the No. 1-ranked boys basketball prospect in the class of 2026, announced his commitment to Kansas on Tuesday afternoon on Inside the NBA."
It's a long-awaited announcement that ends months of suspense. In recent weeks, Kansas and Kentucky were considered the front runners, though Stokes never explicitly dismissed Oregon.
Stokes thanked his mom and God moments before unwrapping and holding up a custom "NBA 2K" cover that announced his commitment to Kansas.
"I'm taking my taking my talents to the University of Kansas, Kansas University," Stokes said. "Coach Bill Self great coach, great person. He's been there from the beginning. He's always fed into me. He's gave me great advice through the entire process.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/2049260734073147697
Self, who has won two national championships in his 23 seasons with the Jayhawks, confirmed this spring that he would return for a 24th season despite health issues. Kansas' season ended in the second round of the NCAA tournament this year with a 67-65 loss to St. John's.
Stokes, a 6-foot-7 forward who received 25 college offers narrowed his decision down to Kentucky, Kansas and Oregon on Nov. 1. That same month Stokes withdrew from his high school in Sherman Oaks, Calif., where he was reportedly facing disciplinary issues. He enrolled at Rainier Beach for his final high school season.
Crowds packed into high school gymnasiums across Seattle throughout the season to watch Stokes, who is originally from Louisville, play. He often put on a show, including dominant 50-plus point performances with college coaches in attendance. During his senior night against West Seattle, Stokes scored a career-high 63 points.
At Rainier Beach, Stokes was coached by Vikings coach Mike Bethea, who has been with the program for more than three decades, and longtime NBA star Jamal Crawford, whose son, JJ, is also on the team.
Bethea described Stokes' choice between Kansas and Kentucky as a "heads you win, tails you win" situation.
"As far as Kansas goes, I know that Bill (Self) is going to do a great job with him down there," Bethea said. "He's going to be playing for a program that I'm really familiar with. I've had five players play down there."
Despite only playing one season at Rainier Beach, Bethea said Stokes stepped into a leadership position on the team and showed up as a "great teammate."
"A lot of people will mistake his passion for something other than what it is," Bethea said. "But it's just his will to win. He wants to win at all times. He does all the little things."
Stokes and JJ Crawford led the Vikings to the 11th state title in program history this year. The 18 year old scored 16 points, with seven rebounds and five assists in the Class 3A state championship game where Rainier Beach beat Lincoln 75-53.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:53 PM.