Taylen Kinney’s Louisville visit shakes up recruiting battle as Kentucky faces stiff competition
Taylen Kinney’s recruitment is picking up serious steam—and now it’s Louisville’s turn to make their move.
The Class of 2026 point guard, originally from Newport, Kentucky, is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with a 6-foot-6 wingspan, Kinney has been lighting it up for Overtime Elite in Atlanta. And this week, he’s taking an official visit to Louisville, with Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals doing everything they can to lure the state’s top guard away from Lexington.
Kinney is scheduled to be on campus Tomorrow and Friday, as first reported by Joe Tipton of On3. And it’s not just a casual visit. Louisville is making a full-court press.
There’s plenty of company in the race. Kentucky, Oregon, Purdue, Alabama, and Arkansas are all pushing hard. According to the 247Sports Composite, Kinney is the No. 16 overall player in the 2026 class and the No. 4-ranked point guard—a true prize in one of the deepest backcourt classes in recent memory.
But there’s more than just national attention here. This one feels personal.
Adam Finkelstein, director of scouting for 247sports said "While he’s naturally aggressive, he does so without unnecessarily dominating the ball as he plays within the flow pretty instinctively." That will be key for Mark Pope who likes to spread the ball around.
Kinney’s ties to the Commonwealth run deep. He played three seasons at Newport High School, putting up over 1,200 career points and nearly 400 assists before heading to OTE. Mark Pope has been heavily involved since April, making a personal visit and keeping the communication line open. And Kinney’s close friend Jasper Johnson, a fellow elite guard and Kentucky commit, hasn’t been shy about doing a little peer recruiting.
“You know, they got Jasper coming in. I like what Coach Pope did to that program,” Kinney said. “Jasper is on me every day, just saying, ‘Come to Kentucky. Come to Kentucky.’ Coach Pope is really outgoing. He’s real funny, but he’s real cool though.”
Still, Louisville is rolling out the red carpet. Kelsey, in his first full offseason at the helm of the Cardinals, is trying to land a game-changer—and Kinney fits the mold. His blend of court vision, scoring polish, and physicality fits right into the up-tempo, aggressive system Kelsey wants to build. And there’s no underestimating how valuable a homegrown star would be for a program looking to reestablish its identity.
Kinney averaged 5 assists per game at OTE while shooting 33% from beyond the arc. His pull-up jumper is smooth, and his ability to finish through contact makes him a threat at all three levels. Defensively, he’s got quick hands and instincts, though like most rising juniors, he’s still finding consistency. He will continue to get better.
The Cardinals hope that a strong visit—and a clear plan—can help them close the gap on Kentucky, who remains the presumed leader. It won’t be easy. Flipping a player with Kinney’s Bluegrass roots away from the Wildcats takes more than just a good pitch and BBN hopes they can't.
Oregon looms as another serious contender, with a visit to Eugene expected this fall. Purdue, Alabama, and Arkansas are also firmly in the mix.
But for now, the spotlight is on Louisville.
The Cardinals are making their move. Whether it's enough to tip the scales remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: this recruitment is far from settled.
And for Taylen Kinney? The spotlight’s only getting brighter.