For months, fans of both Kansas and Kentucky were unsure when and where top-ranked 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes would commit. He answered that question yesterday evening by pledging to the Jayhawks alongside the Inside the NBA crew on ESPN.
While analysts were scrambling in recent weeks trying to follow every move Stokes made, he may have made his decision a while back. According to Kentucky Sports Radio reporter Jack Pilgrim, Stokes signed his non-revenue-sharing deal with KU around the time he took a trip to Lexington for an unofficial visit.
Tyran Stokes signed his non-revenue share paperwork with the Kansas Jayhawks around the time of his Kentucky visit earlier this month, sources tell KSR+
INTEL: https://t.co/g56cegnMJZ
JOIN: https://t.co/yDpOSjrg7Cpic.twitter.com/pKjK8k3z2w– Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) April 28, 2026
Stokes reportedly began his trip to UK around April 13 or 14, which would be approximately two weeks before he made his decision on April 28. Based on that report, he may have already made up his mind by then and simply strung along Mark Pope and the Wildcats.
Once Stokes touched down on Kentucky's campus, there was serious concern around KU circles that the Wildcats could swoop in and change his mind. But after he left the visit without a commitment, the momentum immediately shifted back in Kansas' favor.
That idea might not make Stokes the most beloved figure in Lexington, but it should certainly get a laugh out of the Jayhawk faithful. As frustrating as some of his antics were, KU felt like it had been in the driver's seat all along and could afford to wait out the transfer portal in hopes that he would eventually commit.
Had Stokes put on a Kentucky hat during his commitment, the Jayhawks' offseason would have completely unraveled. Instead, they've now added three starting-caliber transfers along with one of the most talented high school players we've seen in years.
There's no way of knowing whether Pilgrim's report is entirely accurate, and Stokes may have approached that visit to Lexington with an open mind. Still, it turns out there wasn't much for Bill Self and KU to worry about after all.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as New Report Suggests Tyran Stokes to Kansas Was a Done Deal for a While.