Who Are Bill Self’s Top 2026 Kansas Recruiting Targets?

As Kansas narrows its focus in the 2026 recruiting class, which prospects are the Jayhawks targeting most heavily?

Mar 19, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self speaks to the media during a press conference at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks are eyeing several top recruits in the 2026 class.

Prospects have begun to lock in official visit dates to campus in the coming months, meaning it may not be long before KU lands its first commitment of the current recruiting cycle.

Recruiting sites have mentioned dozens of names, but the coaching staff is giving serious attention to a select few. Which high school prospects is Coach Self placing at the top of his board this offseason?

Caleb Holt

If there is one player the coaching staff seems to be pursuing the hardest, it is Holt. The 5-star guard plays at Prolific Prep, the same program Darryn Peterson came out of, and stands out as one of the most gifted prospects in his class.

Holt has said he intends to visit KU at some point. He also holds a NIL deal with Adidas, making the connection almost too perfect to ignore.

Grayson Rams guard Caleb Holt (3) shoots the ball during the second quarter of a City of Palms Classic quarterfinal game against the Columbus Explorers at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ethan Taylor

Widely regarded as the No. 1 or No. 2 center in the 2026 class, Taylor is a skilled 7-footer who has been firmly on Kansas’ radar since June, when he received an offer and made an unofficial visit to Lawrence. A Kansas City native, he previously played at Shawnee Mission Northwest before transferring to Link Academy for his senior season.

With Flory Bidunga potentially heading to the NBA after this year, Self and Co. may be planning ahead. Taylor fits the profile of the next standout KU big man. Kansas also hosted international prospect Sayon Keita on an official visit earlier this week, but Taylor’s local roots give him a more practical path to joining the program.

Deron Rippey Jr.

Not only is Bidunga a strong candidate to turn pro after next season, but Peterson will unquestionably be a one-and-done, leaving Kansas in need of a new point guard by next year. If the staff looks to fill that spot through its high school pipeline, top-20 prospect Rippey appears to be the leading option.

The rising senior from Blair Academy in New Jersey is lightning-quick and boasts one of the best handles in the 2026 class. He is scheduled to visit the Jayhawks beginning Nov. 2 and would be a major 5-star pickup for the program.

Tyran Stokes

Stokes, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, has been linked to Kansas for quite a while. His visit to Lawrence in April induced plenty of buzz, but momentum has cooled as Kentucky has emerged as a serious contender.

The 6-foot-7 forward is an athletic, high-flying talent who would be a major addition to any recruiting class. However, he just isn't the most realistic target at this stage unless something drastically changes.