Kansas Basketball: 2026 Top Point Guard Prospect Includes Jayhawks In Top 12

Deron Rippey Jr. is one of the best rising point guards in the 2026 class. The 5-star guard just cut down to a list of 12 schools, and the Kansas Jayhawks are included.

Feb 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Deron Rippey Jr. has been making noise throughout his high school career. He has emerged as one of the top point guards in the country and has been tracked in 40 Division l offers. The 2026 guard just cut his list of schools down to 12, and the Kansas Jayhawks were included in the loaded list.

The Jayhawks are competing for Rippey against other top level programs such as Duke, UNC, Kentucky, and many more.

Rippey is a 6-2, 175-pound guard from Blairstown, New Jersey and attends Blair Academy. The explosive guard averaged 13.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists this past season. Rippey currently plays for New Heights which is a program apart of the 3SSB.

He is also listed as the No. 17 overall player and No. 2 point guard in the country via 247Sports Composite.

Rippey is a guard that is able to get downhill very easily and is very efficient around the rim which has helped him gain a lot of attraction from high level programs.

If Rippey were to be a Kansas Jayhawk, he would join the long list of explosive point guards to make their way to Lawrence, making him a great fit for the program.

With how Kansas' roster has shaped out for this next season, Rippey has the opportunity to fill some big shoes in Allen Fieldhouse. There are a lot of senior guards leaving, and all signs point to the extremely talented freshman Darryn Peterson heading to the draft.

A potential one-two punch from Rippey and Kohl Rosario could be a great view for Kansas fans. Just landing a commitment from Rippey would create a loaded 2026 class.

This will be a guard Bill Self and the Jayhawks will stay in touch with, Rippey is only getting better from here.