LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas Basketball Head Coach Bill Self made a huge splash on the recruiting trail, landing the top point guard in the country, Taylen Kinney.
The 6’3″ guard attended Newport High School in Newport, Kentucky, before joining the Overtime Elite program in Atlanta, Georgia.
He made his announcement on the CBS Sports College Basketball channel on YouTube on Sunday afternoon. He chose Kansas over Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon, Arkansas and Indiana. He is the Jayhawks’ first commitment for the class of 2026.
Kinney explained what made him choose Kansas.
“Coach Self told me I was going to get to play right when I stepped in. He threw me the keys and said, ‘This is my team next year,'” Kinney said.
“It was just different than every other school.”
He averaged 20.1 points, five assists and four rebounds at Overtime Elite last season. Self has added top-tier talent at the guard position over the past two seasons. He also landed top-ranked 2025 point guard Darryn Peterson, who is expected to lead the Jayhawks this season and is projected to be a top-three pick in the 2026 draft.
According to 247Sports, Kinney ranked as the 13th player overall and the No. 1-ranked point guard in the class of 2026.
The Jayhawks will continue to add to their program in as they look to reclaim the throne in the always competitive Big 12.
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