Tyran Stokes mom hasn't watched Kentucky basketball, but this may be the year she does
When Tyran Stokes’ mother was asked how much she watched Kentucky basketball this past season, her answer hit like a no-look pass in traffic.
“You know we’re from Louisville, right? Louisvillians don’t really watch a lot of Kentucky basketball,” she told KSR+. “This year is my year to watch college sports, for sure.”
It's a quote that perfectly captures the undercurrent of Kentucky’s most underrated rivalry: not on the court, but in living rooms across the Commonwealth. UK and UofL will be playing each other in November in both basketball and football. But they also battle year round at BBQ's, Sunday dinners, dental offices, and in living rooms across the Bluegrass.
Stokes, a 6-foot-7 power wing in the 2026 class, is the top ranked player in the whole class, and by quite a bit according to recruiting experts. He’s built like a freight train with a handle and projects as a multi-positional threat at the next level. His game screams pro, and the buzz is growing that Kentucky could be quietly climbing his list — even if his recruitment has been low-drama by design.
Mark Pope and his staff have reportedly made strong inroads. Stokes could follow Jasper Johnson to Kentucky, after Jasper returned back home to the Bluegrass in 2025. He also played with Jasper on the U19 team that won the Gold Medal over the summer.
What we do know? If Stokes chooses Kentucky, it would send shockwaves — not just because he’s elite, but because flipping a Louisville native into Big Blue is an act of basketball diplomacy. Or betrayal, depending on your ZIP code.
And for Stokes’ mom? If this really is her year to watch college sports, she picked a fine time to start.