Taylen Kinney Talks About Bill Self’s Recruiting Pitch To Come to Kansas

5-star phenom Taylen Kinney is nearing his college decision, and several schools are vying for the commitment of the top-ranked point guard in the 2026 class.

He will announce his final choice two Saturdays from now at 12:15 p.m. CT on Sept. 28, broadcast by CBS Sports HQ.

Ahead of his decision day, Kinney spoke with 247 Sports to discuss all six of his options (Kansas, Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, Oregon, and Arkansas). He explained the tactics that Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self has utilized to entice him to commit to the Jayhawks.

"You know it was a good visit. That coaching staff is a great staff," Kinney said in the interview. "They just got Jacque Vaughn too. He's an NBA vet at the point guard. Then, Bill Self, his background pretty much speaks for itself."

Kinney's visit began the weekend of Aug. 22, when he trekked out to KU's campus and watched Kansas football's season-opening victory over Fresno State.

Since then, KU has unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner to land a pledge from Kinney. On3 insider Joe Tipton placed a crystal ball in the Jayhawks' favor last week in a massive update.

He was long considered a Louisville or Kentucky lock given his local ties as a Newport, Kentucky native. But the coaching staff clearly made a strong impression on him during his trip to Lawrence.

"When I got there, Coach Self tossed me his keys, and he was basically like, 'This is yours next year,'" Kinney continued. "We didn't get too much into it, but they showed highlights of other guards like Devonte Graham and Frank Mason, and he showed me how they played and other guards that they've had that he just let rock out."

Kinney's skill set definitely resembles that of a Devonte' Graham, a player who can drive to the rim, create opportunities for his teammates, and play bigger than his size.

While there have been questions about his jump shot from beyond the arc, he has been steadily improving from 3-point range. Some scouts said his recent showing at the Overtime Elite Pro Day was the best shooting performance he had ever put on.

The No. 13 overall player in the Class of 2026, Kinney competes with Rod Wave Elite in the Overtime Elite league. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals.

At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he is a quick lead guard who excels in multiple facets of the game. Kinney's defensive instincts could also be improved if he comes to Kansas.

It remains to be seen if the tidbits recruiting analysts have been offering over the past few days are true, but it's looking more and more likely that Kinney will commit to the Jayhawks come Sept. 28.