The Big 12 just added another star for next season.
Consensus top high school recruit Tyran Stokes has committed to the Kansas Jayhawks, he announced Tuesday night on ESPN.
Stokes chose Kansas over a number of other notable programs, with former BYU head coach Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats coming in second place for his services.
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The 6-foot-7 small forward for Seattle’s Rainier Beach High is rated as a five-star prospect and the nation’s No. 1 player for the class of 2026 by 247 Sports, also ranking as the site’s No. 2 signee all-time for the Jayhawks.
“He’s powerful, long, and explosively athletic,” wrote 247 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein of Stokes. “But while he’s built like a forward, he can make plays like a guard with an ability to create off the dribble and an innate understanding of how to instinctively find a path to the rim, even when one doesn’t seem to initially present itself.
“… Stokes has more sheer talent than anyone in the country and while he’s continued to grow his offensive game with each passing year, he now just needs to prove that he can consistently drive winning.”
Playing under legendary head coach Bill Self, Stokes will attempt to lead Kansas — one of the most prestigious programs in all of college basketball — past the NCAA Tournament’s second round for the first time since 2022.
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Both BYU and Utah will be guaranteed at least one matchup against Stokes’ Jayhawks this coming season.
With Stokes’ commitment, seven out of the 27 five-star recruits (26%) in the class of 2026 have pledged to Big 12 schools, including BYU’s Bruce Branch III and Caleb Holt of Arizona.
In 2025, 10 of 27 five-star prospects (37%) played in the Big 12, with AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson — the likely top two selections in this summer’s NBA draft — leading the charge.
5-star recruits heading to the Big 12 this season
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Tyran Stokes, 6-foot-7 small forward committed to Kansas (rated as No. 1 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Caleb Holt, 6-foot-5 shooting guard committed to Arizona (rated as No. 3 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Dylan Mingo, 6-foot-5 combo guard committed to Baylor (rated as No. 6 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Bruce Branch III, 6-foot-7 small forward committed to BYU (rated as No. 7 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Arafan Diane, 7-foot-1 center committed to Houston (rated as No. 16 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Taylen Kinney, 6-foot-1 point guard committed to Kansas (rated as No. 18 player nationally by 247 Sports)
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Miles Sadler, 5-foot-10 point guard committed to West Virginia (rated as No. 25 player nationally by 247 Sports)
Prolific Prep Bruce Branch (3) warms up against Dynamic Prep during a high school basketball game at the Hoophall Classic, Monday, January 19, 2026, in Springfield, MA. | Gregory Payan
