Kentucky may be losing ground in the battle for 5-star point guard Tay Kinney, a top prospect in the 2026 class from Newport (KY).
Kinney, entering his senior year and second season at Overtime Elite in Atlanta, has been heavily recruited by major programs. Once considered a near-lock for either Kentucky or Louisville, his recruitment has gained national attention following an official visit to Kansas that happened the weekend of August 22.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope did act quickly by visiting Kinney with an in-house visit earlier this month, but the Wildcats have increasingly focused on another elite guard, 5-star Deron Rippey Jr., sending staff on multiple visits to continue to build their relationship with him.
While recruiting is always unpredictable and NIL opportunities could sway a decision, recent trends strongly favor Kansas in Kinney’s recruitment, making it an uphill battle for Kentucky to keep the top point guard in the Bluegrass State.
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