Louisville basketball recently learned that Taylen Kinney committed to Kansas over the weekend. The Cardinals were gut-punched entirely by Kinney here, as he was one of their top guys, and made it clear they wanted him to replace Mikel Brown Jr.
Now, with Kinney going to the Jayhawks, Louisville has to go back to the drawing board, but it is undeniable who is being getting circled and is now a must-get. The Cardinals might have missed out on Kinney, but they still have their top target and Louisville native, Tyran Stokes.
Stokes is the nation's No. 1 recruit, and with him being born and raised in the city, the fans are voicing their opinions that they want Stokes even more after missing out on Kinney.
Related: Panic meter maxed out for Louisville's efforts to land No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes
Louisville's No. 1 target in 2026 cycle is a no brainer
Louisville was in a massive lead for Stokes after he was the first 2026 recruit to visit the Cardinals back in 2024. However, after he took official visits to Kansas, Kentucky, USC, and Oregon, the Cardinals' lead has vanished, and many believe they are no longer the frontrunners.
Whether Kentucky or Kansas is in the lead now, the fans are clearly voicing that they want Stokes. It isn't common for the state of Kentucky to have the No. 1 overall recruit, and it is even more rare for the city of Louisville to be the town the recruit is from. The Cardinals have a massive opportunity to secure the No. 1 overall recruit and elevate this program, but it won't be easy.
Kentucky and Kansas are the frontrunners now, and Louisville might even be behind Oregon. Whether this was due to Kelsey going all-in on Kinney or something else, it is undeniable that he has to regain some ground and find a way to beat Kansas after they just stole Kinney.
The 6-foot-7 225 225-pound forward is a dominant player on both ends of the court. He has already won multiple gold medals and is coming off an All-State season, during which he averaged 21 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
Stokes and his group have done a good job keeping their recruiting process under the radar. Stokes hasn't cut anyone from his offer list and hasn't made any announcement. However, his mom did state she thinks he wants to commit before his senior season starts, making this month of October crucial.
Related: Tyran Stokes teases recruiting decision leaving Louisville fans anxiously watching
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.