Tyran Stokes didn’t exactly leave Kansas coach Bill Self buzzing after his first official run in a Jayhawks uniform.
The No. 1 recruit in the class of 2026 made his debut Friday night in the 41st edition of Late Night in the Phog, and the box score looked solid enough: 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in a little more than 17 minutes. He was Kansas’ second-leading scorer behind Tre White, who finished with 16.
Stokes did most of his damage getting downhill. His first college basket came on a drive that sent his defender to the floor before he finished with a dunk, and he kept flashing that same burst throughout the night. At one point, he turned a near turnover into a blow-by and another crowd-raising slam.
He shot 4 for 9 from the field, missed both of his three-point attempts and went 6 for 9 at the line. He also carried the team’s highest usage rate at 21 percent, and Kansas used him as a forward in the pick-and-roll, where he found senior transfer Christian Reeves for both of his assists.
“Tyran’s been great to play with all summer and fall,” Reeves said. “He always makes the right play, he’s aggressive at getting downhill and he creates for others, so it’s great to have him with us.”
Self, though, didn’t sound sold on the performance.
“[He was] average,” Self said. “I thought he was okay. I didn’t think really anybody other than Christian individually had a really good night.”
Stokes arrives with real expectations after being the latest elite freshman to step into the spotlight at Kansas. He follows 2025 No. 1 recruit and NBA No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, who earned All-Big 12 second team and All-Big 12 freshman team honors in his lone season before heading to the draft. Peterson opened his Kansas run with 26 points, four rebounds and two assists in an exhibition against Louisville.
Stokes gets another chance to show Self more on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Kansas hosts Louisville in an exhibition at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.
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Kansas Fans Got An Early Answer On This New Rotation
Kansas gave its fans an early look at a new rotation in a comfortable 80-62 exhibition win over Pittsburg State at Allen Fieldhouse, and there were already a few clues about how the pieces might fit. Tre White led the way with 16 points, while Christian Reeves and Tyran Stokes each added 14, giving the Jayhawks a balanced scoring night and some first impressions to sort through before the games start counting.
The result also kept Kansas long home exhibition streak alive at 58 games, a reminder that the building still tends to look familiar even when the roster does not. There is still another tuneup ahead, with Louisville visiting on Oct. 21, and that matchup should offer a clearer read on how this group handles a more serious test. [Read more 🡒]
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The loss, 35-24, pushed Kansas to an 18-game skid and added another layer to the scrutiny around Lance Leipold. It also extended his losing streak against Kansas State to six straight since taking over in 2021, a number that has only intensified the questions around where the program is headed as the Jayhawks search for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Let The Sunflower Showdown Slip Away Again
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Instead, the Jayhawks were left with another familiar ending against Kansas State, a 35-24 loss that extended their slide in the series to 18 straight. Avery Johnson steadied the Wildcats with his own dual-threat performance, and Kansas again spent too much of the night chasing points rather than controlling the matchup it badly wanted to flip. [Read more 🡒]