How good is Tyran Stokes? An NBA scout breaks down KU basketball’s No. 1 commit
The Kansas men’s basketball team landed a commitment from Tyran Stokes, the consensus No. 1-ranked player in the class of 2026, on Tuesday evening.
He will likely be KU’s starting small forward and top scoring option in 2026-27. And he completely changes the outlook of next year’s team.
The 6-foot-7 small forward averaged more than 30 points and 10 rebounds in his high school senior season. He averaged 20.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game playing for the Oakland Soldiers at Peach Jam, while shooting better than 40% from 3 — though that’s not a strength of his game.
In his junior year at Notre Dame high school, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
So ... how will that translate? And how good is Stokes?
The Star spoke to an NBA scout about his game Tuesday. The scout is familiar with Stokes, having scouted him over the years. And he’s quite optimistic about his potential.
“I like that he got better every time I saw him,” the NBA scout said, “whether it was small steps in his shooting, constantly becoming a better handler or showing he was taking steps with his passing. You can tell he really works on his game and puts time into his craft.”
The scout said Stokes is an elite rebounder with a great motor.
He said Stokes’ play style has shades of NBA star Cade Cunningham due to similarities of size, athleticism, rebounding and the ability to lead a fast break. Like Cunningham, Stokes usually makes the right play with the ball in his hands, the scout explained.
But he’s also not a finished product. The scout said Stokes is still developing into becoming a three-level scorer. He also called Stokes a “transition bowling ball.”
What else can he work on?
“Just continue to be a better shooter,” the scout said. “More reliable from the perimeter and just continue to grow up and mature. ... I appreciate his willingness to play hard and with an edge, but there are points where it is too much, and you need to focus on winning the game.”
How Stokes compares to Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa
KU fans will have a natural comparison to make with Stokes given the Jayhawks landed a possible No. 1 NBA Draft pick last season in Darryn Peterson.
But Stokes is not quite on the level of a Peterson or BYU star AJ Dybantsa, the scout said.
“He’s not in that tier,” the NBA scout said. “I wouldn’t even put him with Caleb Wilson or (Cam) Boozer. He would be in play at No. 4 or 5 in this draft, I think.”
As for the 2027 NBA Draft, the NBA scout said it’s too early to say if Stokes is projected go top-3, but he did say Stokes has a shot of being drafted there.
Can Stokes lead KU on a deep run?
It’s no secret that the last four seasons at Kansas haven’t gone as planned. KU has failed to make the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in that time.
Even with Peterson leading the way, the Jayhawks lost a heartbreaker to St. John’s in the second round of last year’s tournament.
The hope is that Stokes and his teammates will change that.
The scout said he thinks Stokes can lead KU on a deep run, but the Jayhawks need to “surround him with shooting and mature bodies that can help weather his storm.”
As for what to expect from Stokes’ shooting?
“Kansas should not expect him to make any (3-point) shots next year, but he can catch fire and get going from time to time,” the scout said. “Shooting is shaky, but it used to be nonexistent.”
