One of the most active teams this spring in the NCAA transfer portal for college basketball is the Kentucky Wildcats. Mark Pope and his staff, like every program in the country, have lost players, but they’ve also secured some impressive additions.
The Wildcats are coming off a trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, where they fell to conference rival Tennessee. Kentucky finished the season with a 24-12 overall record and a 10-8 mark in SEC play.
Advertisement
The news that broke on Monday wasn’t portal-related but came from the recruiting trail: the Wildcats are reportedly closing in on a major addition for the class of 2026.
Jacob Polacheck of On3 Sports shared the news: “Breaking: No. 1-ranked 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes has set an official visit to Kentucky, sources tell KSR+.”
Stoke is a 6-foot-7 forward from Sherman Oaks, California. He plays his high school basketball at Notre Dame High School.
He took his official visit to Kansas on April 18 and visited Louisville in October of 2024. He is known as a five-star recruit, according to 247Sports.
Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark PopePetre Thomas-Imagn Images
“He’s a once-in-every-few-years physical specimen athlete. Combine that competitiveness with that unselfishness, athletic ability, and size, and you’ve got a pretty good basketball player,” Stokes’ coach Matt Sargent told Polacheck of On3 Sports.
Advertisement
While Stokes will be part of the 2026 class, the players arriving at Kentucky this fall are also highly talented. The Wildcats signed five-star Jasper Johnson and five-star McDonald’s All-American big man Malachi Moreno.
Kam Williams, Jaland Lowe, Mouhamed Dioubate, Jayden Quaintance and Denzel Aberdeen are among the transfers joining the Wildcats this fall.
Related: Auburn’s Strong Message After Four-Star Recruit Transfers to SEC Program
Related: UNC’s Seth Trimble Sends Strong Message to Ian Jackson After Transfer Portal Decision
