Pair of Kansas Basketball Signees Named 2026 McDonald’s All-Americans

Two future Jayhawks were part of a select group of high school basketball players announced as McDonald’s All-Americans on Monday during a segment of ESPN’s NBA Today.

Kansas men’s basketball signee Taylen Kinney was chosen to represent the Boys’ West team, while Kansas women’s basketball signee Cydnee Bryant was chosen to represent the Girls’ West team.

Both players are two of the top ranked players in their respective 2026 class, and both have signed their letters of intent to play basketball at Kansas next season.

Taylen Kinney

Kinney, a 6-foot-2 point guard who plays for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia, is rated as a five-star prospect, per 247Sports. He is the No. 2 ranked point guard and the No. 13 ranked player overall in the 2026 class.

As a native of Newport, Kentucky, he was heavily pursued by Kentucky and Louisville before committing to Kansas in September 2025. He officially signed his financial aid agreement with KU in November.

Head coach Bill Self raved about Kinney’s talent following the signing.

“Taylen's one of the best point guards in the country,” Self said. “He's a scoring point. He can shoot. He's got great vision. He can create for himself and create for others. Taylen's transition to college ball should be seamless. He's prepared to run a college basketball team.”

Kinney is currently averaging 18.8 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game this season at Overtime Elite. He is the 53rd Kansas men’s basketball signee to be named a McDonald’s All-American.

Cydnee Bryant

Bryant, a 6-foot-4 center who plays for Centennial High School in Corona, California, is rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports. She is the No. 6 ranked center and No. 32 ranked prospect overall in the 2026 class.

She committed to and signed with KU back in late November 2025. She picked the Jayhawks over a group of finalists which included Utah, Houston, and Oklahoma.

She has been dominant for Centennial High this year, averaging a double-double with 14.6 points and 15.4 points per game. Bryant is a two-sport athlete who plans to play both volleyball and basketball at KU.

"Cydnee will bring immediate size and physicality to our front line," Schneider said following her signing. "She provides a paint presence on both ends of the floor but has the skills to step away and stretch the defense.”

With her selection as a McDonald’s All-American, she becomes just the fourth Kansas women’s basketball player to have earned the honor in program history. Her brother Carter Bryant was a 2024 McDonald’s All-American and later became a first round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after just one season at Arizona.

The McDonald’s All-American games are scheduled for March 31 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and will be televised live on ESPN.