Kansas freshman Tyran Stokes is walking into the 2026-27 season with the kind of buzz that usually comes with a proven college star, not a first-year player.
The No. 1 recruit in the country in the 2026 class, according to every major recruiting service, Stokes committed to Kansas after a recruiting saga that dragged through Kansas, Kentucky and others earlier this spring. Now, before he has played a real game for the Jayhawks, he’s already being treated like one of the sport’s biggest names.
CBS Sports made that official earlier this week by naming Stokes a preseason first-team All-American. He joined Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., Florida small forward Thomas Haugh, Vanderbilt point guard Tyler Tanner and Illinois power forward David Mirkovic on the first team.
The preseason teams were selected by college basketball reporters at CBS Sports, 247Sports, along with analysts and on-air talent from CBS and CBS Sports Network.
CBS Sports writer Isaac Trotter laid out why Stokes is drawing that kind of attention.
“College basketball's most naturally gifted player will lace 'em up for the Jayhawks,” said Trotter. “Stokes is on the inside track to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft because he can blend excellent positional size with real on-ball utility.
Stokes is all of 6-7 and 230 pounds. He will bully smaller defenders and dust heftier defenders.
Stokes' big-boy drives will be a staple of Kansas' offense, and he should automatically vault to the top of the charts in transition scoring.”
Trotter also pointed to the role Bill Self will play in shaping what Stokes becomes this season.
“Stokes' maturity and on-court antics have long been a point of emphasis, but if Bill Self can help his star freshman stay on the straight and narrow, he has a chance to be a terrifying two-way player who could up some bonkers counting stats as Kansas' head honcho,” Trotter continued. “An average stat line of 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists is firmly in Stokes' range of potential outcomes.”
Stokes is one of only four Big 12 players to earn preseason recognition from CBS Sports. Texas Tech power forward JT Toppin landed on the Second Team, Arizona center Motiejus Krivas also made the Second Team, and BYU point guard Robert Wright III was placed on the Third Team.
Kansas fans won’t have to wait long to see Stokes in uniform for the first time. The Jayhawks face Pittsburg State on Friday night in their first exhibition of the season at Allen Fieldhouse as part of this year’s Late Night in the Phog.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT, and the game will stream live on ESPN+.
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Kansas Is Changing Late Night In The Phog In A Big Way
Late Night in the Phog is getting a notable makeover this fall, and for longtime Kansas fans, the biggest change is on the floor. Instead of the usual intrasquad scrimmage, the Jayhawks will play an actual exhibition game against Division II Pittsburg State, giving the season-opening showcase a more traditional game-night feel while still keeping plenty of the familiar flourishes that have made the event a staple in Lawrence.
The format shift also comes with one conspicuous subtraction, as the musical component will no longer be part of the evening. Even so, Kansas is keeping the skits and halftime activities that have long helped make Late Night more than just a basketball preview, and the womens program will again have its own spotlight with a separate Late Night event on Oct. 29 against Washburn. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Boschees Allen Fieldhouse Return Gives Late Night A Different Feel
Jeff Boschee is headed back to Allen Fieldhouse for the 42nd annual Late Night in the Phog, and his return adds an extra layer to one of Kansas basketballs most familiar traditions. Now the head coach at Pittsburg State, Boschee will bring his team in for an exhibition against the Jayhawks, turning a celebration of the new season into something a little more personal for a former KU starter who helped Kansas reach the 2002 Final Four.
Boschee still owns the Kansas school record for career 3-pointers, so this is a homecoming with plenty of basketball history attached to it. He has reflected on his playing days at KU and has been urging his current team to compete hard in the matchup, which gives Pittsburg State a chance to test itself in a building where Boschee once made his mark and where the spotlight will be waiting again. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces Two Urgent Problems Entering The Sunflower Showdown
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Avery Johnson makes the assignment even trickier for Kansas, because the Wildcats quarterback can stress a defense in more than one way and force constant adjustment. The Jayhawks have enough recent evidence to know what kind of trouble that can create, and their response on both sides of the ball will go a long way toward deciding whether they can keep the rivalry game on their terms. [Read more 🡒]