Would landing Tyran Stokes get all of Big Blue Nation bought back into Mark Pope?

Tyran Stokes would be a massive addition for Mark Pope and Kentucky.

Mar 30, 2026; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Tyran Stokes during the McDonalds All American Jam Fest at Millennium High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kentucky fans have seen some interesting recruitments over the year, but the recruitment of Tyran Stokes has to be up there as one of the craziest recruitments fans have ever seen. We are a day away from April, and Stokes has still not picked a school.

Stokes is the #1 player in the 2026 class, and it sounds like he will either be heading to Kentucky or Kansas. No one seems to know where Stokes is going to go, and at this point, it seems like Stokes himself might not even know where he wants to go yet. He is nearing a decision, and this saga should be over within the next few weeks.

Jan 2, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Rainier Beach High School (WA) forward Tyran Stokes (4) against Mater Dei during the HoopHall West Tournament at Skyline High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While this recruitment has been crazy, Stokes is a sure-fire lottery pick and will be one of the best players in all of college basketball next season. This is why it is so important that Coach Pope lands Stokes, but Bill Self and Kansas aren’t backing off any time soon.

The question that I want to discuss in this article is for those who have lost faith in Coach Pope. For those members of Big Blue Nation would landing Stokes, the #1 player in the 2026 class, have you bought back in? I know not all of the fan base is out on Pope. I’d say about 60% of Big Blue Nation still believes in Pope, but some are losing faith quickly.

Landing Stokes should have all of the fan base bought in for the 2026-27 season because he has a real shot to be the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, and he very well could average 20 points per game for the Wildcats if he chooses Kentucky. If Coach Pope does land Stokes and does a good job of adding elite players around him, the Wildcats could be one of the better teams in the nation.

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope calls a play during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Jason Hart was the main recruiter for Stokes, so with him gone, Coach Pope and Mo Williams will have to put on the full-court press to try to land this elite recruit. A lot of folks are saying Coach Pope can’t recruit, so landing Stokes would hush this crowd, plus give Kentucky potentially the best player in the nation.

Big Blue Nation seems divided right now with their thoughts on Coach Pope, but I would venture to imagine that landing this elite recruit would have fans fully bought in.