Louisville fans fear the worst after Tyran Stokes' concerning recruiting update

Louisville basketball fans recently learned they are in the 2026 No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes' final five, as he announced it last week. Stokes is Louisville's undoubtedly top target in the 2026 class, and fans are closely following his recruiting process daily.

The Cardinals are now going head-to-head against Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon, and USC for Stokes, but Louisville fans are beginning to fear the worst. Louisville was the dominant favorite for the early process of Stokes' recruitment, but after he visited the other four schools, the Cardinals slowly began to lose their lead.

Now, the fans are trying their best to help earn his commitment and bring the Louisville native home, but after his recent update, they are bracing for another heartbreaking story.

Related: 2 Dream, 2 reach, 2 realistic targets for Louisville after Taylen Kinney's commitment

Louisville fans fear the worst after Tyran Stoke Nike deal

Last week, it was announced that Stokes signed a deal with Nike. Just because he signed with Nike, that doesn't mean he has to attend a Nike school, but it does make it seem like Kentucky and Oregon received a massive boost in the recruiting process.

Kentucky has emerged as the new favorite in many experts' eyes, and after he signed with Nike, they continue to grow a lead. After Stokes dropped his top five, the Cardinals fans feel like his commitment date could be sooner rather than later, but there is still no timeline.

With Stokes signing with Nike, Oregon also receives a significant boost, as it is considered the "Nike School." Stokes took a visit to Oregon late this summer, and some have revealed that the Ducks might have jumped ahead of Louisville now.

There is a lot of speculation surrounding this recruiting process, but with Kansas stealing Taylen Kinney, the Cardinals need to do everything they can to secure Stokes' commitment. Stokes certainly made it seem like he will sign with a Nike team from his Nike announcement, which makes Louisville fans fear he will either commit to Kentucky or Oregon.

Stokes' mother revealed over the summer that he would like to commit before his senior season starts, making the month of October crucial for Louisville to try and gain some ground back.

Related: Louisville fans holding their breath after Tyran Stokes’ Mom teases decision timeline

For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.