Skip to main content
KANSAS

5-Star 2026 Point Guard Tay Kinney Includes Kansas Basketball in Top 12

One of the top guards in the 2026 class has listed the Kansas Jayhawks as one of a dozen finalists for his services.
Dillon Davis|
Denny Medley-Imagn Images

In this story:

Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks have made the cut for one of the top high school prospects in the 2026 class.

On Tuesday, Rivals reported that five-star point guard Tay Kinney from Overtime Elite in Georgia has narrowed his list of interested schools to 12. KU is one of the dozen programs on the list which also includes Kentucky, Texas, Auburn, and others.

Kinney is currently ranked as the No. 3 point guard in the country and the No. 13 recruit overall in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-2 guard has already taken official visits to Kentucky, Purdue, and Louisville, and has plans to visit Kansas on Aug. 22.

“Bill Self, he’s a great coach,” said Kinney in a previous interview with Rivals. “He’s got a National Championship. I really wanna see what they do with DP (Darryn Peterson) this year. But I think he will do good. I think it’s a good program.”

The 6-foot-2 guard has exploded on the recruiting trail this summer after averaging 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game during this summer’s National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp. As a junior at Overtime Elite this past season, Kinney averaged 12.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.

The Jayhawks don’t currently have any verbal commitments from 2026 recruits, but the scheduled visit from Kinney is one of many planned from some of the best players in the class.

KU will need someone of Kinney’s talent with the team likely losing Darryn Peterson to the NBA after this year and point guards Melvin Council Jr. and Jayden Dawson each only having one year left of eligibility.

The visit in August, which also coincides with the opening weekend of the 2025 Kansas football season, could go a long way in securing his commitment.

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published
Dillon Davis
DILLON DAVIS

A Topeka native and lifelong Jayhawk, Dillon Davis was born into the fandom during a Kansas basketball NCAA Tournament run in the early ‘90s. Since graduating from the University of Kansas in 2014, he has channeled that passion into sportswriting, contributing thousands of stories to the KU beat since 2018. Following tenures at Armchair Media and Fansided, Dillon joined Kansas on SI in May 2025 to bring his unique storytelling and deep-rooted perspective to Jayhawk fans across the country. KC Sports Network is the premier destination for Kansas City sports fans with podcasts, YouTube and social media content. Stay connected with the latest news and analysis by following KCSN on all social media platforms.

Share on XFollow dillondavis3
Home/Basketball