NCAA Basketball Wiretap

Tyran Stokes, the nation's top-ranked senior and consensus favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, has committed to Kansas, he announced Tuesday. The 6-foot-7 small forward from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle chose the Jayhawks over Kentucky following an intense months-long recruiting battle.

The commitment gives Bill Self a potential No. 1 overall pick for the second straight season, following Darryn Peterson's year in Lawrence. Kansas now holds the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country, with Stokes joining five-star point guard Taylen Kinney in the 2026 class.

Kentucky appeared to be the clear frontrunner entering the fall, but Kansas surged as the college season progressed. A late official visit to Lexington allowed the Wildcats to close the gap before the Jayhawks ultimately held firm against Mark Pope's program.

Stokes, originally from Louisville, led Rainier Beach to a state championship this past season, including a 63-point performance on senior night with assistant coaches from both Kansas and Kentucky in attendance.

The forward possesses a rare combination of scoring, rebounding and playmaking. On the Nike EYBL circuit last summer, he averaged 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51% from the field and drawing 10.4 free throw attempts per game. His playmaking approach draws comparisons to Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija.

Stokes has earned three gold medals with USA Basketball, most recently at last summer's FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. He has been regarded as the top player in his class for the better part of two years, collecting power-conference scholarship offers before his freshman season at Prolific Prep in California had even started.

Self enters next season with his most decorated recruiting class in years, bolstered further by transfer portal additions Leroy Blyden Jr., Keanu Dawes and Christian Reeves.

Finland native Miikka Muurinen, a five-star forward with a 95 scouting grade, has committed to Arkansas, giving John Calipari the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, the 7-footer told ESPN Monday.

Muurinen spent time at several American high schools before signing with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia, where he appeared in 14 games this season including six in EuroLeague play. He took an official visit to Arkansas in fall 2024 and maintained close contact with the program in the 18 months since.

"Since my visit a year and a half ago, they've been consistent and committed to recruiting me," Muurinen told ESPN. "When I left my Arkansas visit, I was not only excited about the program but also about the people, and I said to myself, those are the type of people I want to be around on a daily basis."

"The thing about Coach Calipari that stood out was that he kept it real with me," Muurinen said. "He has had so much success with so many one-and-done players, and I really like his coaching style both on and off the court."

Muurinen joins a loaded 2026 class that includes top-ranked guard Jordan Smith Jr., five-star forward JaShawn Andrews, and top-30 wing Abdou Toure. The addition gives Arkansas four likely five-star prospects and a projected preseason top-10 roster.

At the Nike Hoop Summit earlier this month, Muurinen posted 10 points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes for the World Team. He also represented Finland's senior national team at FIBA EuroBasket last summer, averaging 6.6 points in eight games.

"I'm going to Arkansas to help them win a national championship," Muurinen said, "and to play with a great roster of guys."