KANSAS

Top 15 Recruit in Class of 2026 Plans to Visit Kansas Basketball

Taylen Kinney, the 11th-best player in the country, will schedule a visit with head coach Bill Self and Kansas.
Jackson Langendorf|
Newport's Taylen Kinney (0) reacts after scoring two of his 13 points in the first half against Washington County at Wednesday's 2023 King of the Bluegrass basketball tournament at Fairdale High School. Dec. 20, 2023
Newport's Taylen Kinney (0) reacts after scoring two of his 13 points in the first half against Washington County at Wednesday's 2023 King of the Bluegrass basketball tournament at Fairdale High School. Dec. 20, 2023 | Matt Stone/The Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas has landed a top 25 prospect in four straight seasons and seeks to extend that streak to five with a top 25 addition in the Class of 2026 (according to 247 Sports’ rankings). A target that fits that bill is Overtime Elite’s Taylen Kinney – the nation’s 11th-rated player. 

And according to Joe Tipton of On3, the Jayhawks are making strides in Kinney’s recruitment, as the 6-foot-1 lead guard plans to schedule a visit to Lawrence. 

Kinney is a dream point guard. He has the ball on a string, is always under control, and never sped up. Although he is more than capable of scoring – and is a threat to get a bucket at all three levels – Kinney is most effective as a facilitator.

Whether it’s in transition, the pick-and-roll, or off his dribble penetration, Kinney constantly has his eyes up and is always seeking to set up his teammates. As a scorer, Kinney gets his points within the flow of the offense, never forcing. 

Thus far, Kinney has already taken visits to Purdue (January 20), Louisville (June 5), and Kentucky (June 24), while he’s scheduled official dates with Indiana (August 29), Oregon (September 6), and Texas (September 12). Although he plans to visit both Kansas and Arkansas, Kinney has yet to set a date for either of those trips. 

The Jayhawks are certainly facing an uphill battle for Kinney’s talents, but it’s encouraging to see that Kinney recognizes what Lawrence has to offer:

“Bill Self, he’s a great coach. He’s got a national championship. I really wanna see what they do with DP (Darryn Peterson) this year,” said Kinney to Tipton.

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Jackson Langendorf
JACKSON LANGENDORF

Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Kansas basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024. He can be followed and reached on X @jglangendorf.

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