Kentucky Basketball is closing in on a monumental recruiting win. Kansas is swinging lots of money and hometown Louisville apparently gave up according to social media reports.
Top overall 2026 recruit Tyran Stokes has picked up a Crystal Ball prediction to Kentucky, marking the first time since Nerlens Noel in 2012 that the Wildcats are trending for the nation’s No. 1 player.
Breaking down the projection
According to 247Sports insiders, their staff predictions have Stokes favoring Kentucky with medium confidence. While no commitment date has been announced, this projection signals that Mark Pope and his staff have seized control of one of the most high-profile recruitments in the nation.
Kansas made a serious push, but Stokes’ recent Nike deal changed everything. Programs like Kansas and Louisville, both heavily tied to adidas NIL pipelines, saw their leverage evaporate. Nike’s exclusivity limits outside marketing use, trimming millions from what those schools could offer.
While signing with Nike of course didn't make it impossible, Cooper Flagg signed with New Balance and then went to Duke, it makes a lot harder to funnel money to Stokes via a shoe or merch deal.
Louisville roots, Kentucky fit
Stokes, originally from Louisville, was once seen as a Cardinals lean. But sources describe him as a basketball perfectionist, an ultra-competitive and fiery player; traits that align perfectly with Pope’s culture of accountability and toughness. Louisville did not like it when the news broke that Kentucky was gaining momentum and they were fading.
Just last night Mark Pope had Andrija Jelavic running to the top of Historic Memorial Coliseum and touching the top because he made a mistake during practice. That kind of dedication, and that kind of expectation is a great thing for a guy like Stokes.
If Kentucky can close this recruitment, it would mark Pope’s first no. 1 overall signee and a defining moment for the program’s new era.
For now, the Wildcats are in the driver’s seat, and racing toward another historic recruit.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion