Oregon gets major news in Tyran Stokes recruiting battle with Kansas, Kentucky originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Oregon Ducks made a long recruiting pitch for the No. 1 recruit in the basketball Class of 2026, Tyran Stokes.
Stokes is set to announce his decision on Tuesday night, but the news isn't good for the Ducks.
College basketball insider Matt Norlander shared on X that he's been told the Ducks aren't involved in the final decision.
That leaves Kansas and Kentucky as the final two schools seemingly in the picture:
I specifically asked if Oregon was still involved and was told no.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 28, 2026
College basketball insider Jeff Goodman posted that he believes Kansas is the "frontrunner," and that Kentucky is "in the mix."
Stokes' recruitment pretty much came down to these three schools for the last 6-12 months, but it has been a delayed decision. Pretty much everyone in the class is committed aside from Stokes.
He did have a major change as he ended up at Rainier Beach in the Seattle area for his senior season, but his basketball ability has never been in doubt for those recruiting him.
Oregon likely had a sense before the general public did that they were out of the running for Stokes — but there's always a chance they pretty much found out on Tuesday. Every recruiting situation is a little different, and Stokes' recruitment certainly hasn't been simple.
But the best indication is that Oregon didn't close this deal. It would've been a massive win for them, but in the end, they'll have to watch Stokes play elsewhere.