ESPN has released its updated recruiting rankings for the basketball class of 2026. The list was made by longtime recruiting director Paul Biancardi, who noted that the latest NBA Draft was once again littered with young talent.
It came as no surprise to see Tyran Stokes maintain his position as the number one player in the class. The Louisville native is unanimously regarded as the best high school player in the country, a distinction that has been consistently upheld for some time.
At 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Stokes can easily overpower his competition, but what makes him special is his overall playmaking ability. You don’t often see many young players with this kind of size and skill set wrapped into one package.
Biancardi compared Stokes’ game at this stage to Scottie Barnes, who was once a high school terror himself.
At the end of the day, one lucky program is going to end up landing Stokes. Mark Pope and the Cats should be right there along with the other heavy hitters.
Another Kentucky target high on ESPN’s top 100 list is Jason Crowe from Inglewood, CA. UK assistant Jason Hart was a high school teammate with Crowe’s father, putting UK in a solid position to get his commitment.
Crowe is a 6-foot-3 lefty point guard who is crafty around the basket and packs a versatile skillset. He could potentially be running the show for Kentucky one day if his heart ultimately leads him to Lexington
