Is Gonzaga About to Land the Elite Class of 2026 Star Tyran Stokes?

It’s possible both prospects could travel to Spokane for Kraziness in the Kennel, which traditionally has served as a key recruiting weekend for the Zags, with top prospects such as Chet Holmgren, Jalen Suggs and Julian Strawther among others planning recruiting visits around the preseason showcase. Kraziness in the Kennel is tentatively set to take place on Oct. 4 this fall.

In the whirlwind world of high school basketball recruiting, Gonzaga might just have caught a couple of major fish swimming their way — and fast. Over the course of just three days, whispers and confirmations emerged that the highest-ranked talents from the classes of 2026 and ’27 are sharpening their sights on Spokane. Tyran Stokes, the cream of the 2026 crop according to the big three recruiting powerhouses, didn’t just hint — he locked in a visit date, though his family’s playing it close to the vest to keep the prying eyes at bay. Meanwhile, the ’27 small forward sensation Baba Oladotun has tossed his name into the mix with plans to swing by in October. Could both stars be in the crowd for the famed Kraziness in the Kennel? That event, a bustling hotspot for elite recruiting almost every preseason, has a knack for drawing the game’s future giants. When you look at Stokes’ trail — from his Kentucky roots through visits to a slew of top-tier programs, capped by his golden performance with Team USA alongside a familiar face from the Zag camp — it’s clear Gonzaga is on to something big . . . or about to be. LEARN MORE
With the exception of Gonzaga, Stokes has received scholarship offers from each of the aforementioned schools, in addition to Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida State, Houston, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas Tech, UCLA, Xavier and a handful of others.
Tyran Stokes, rated No. 1 overall in the class of 2026 by the three major recruiting services – On3.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN – nailed down a date for his official visit to Gonzaga, his mother told KSR.com, a Kentucky-based affiliate of On3.com.
The 6-foot-7 forward has completed visits to both of the high-major schools in his home state, traveling to Louisville in October before taking a trip to Kentucky last month. Stokes has taken one other visit, to Kansas, in mid-April.
Stokes averaged 21.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game last season for a Notre Dame team that went 28-8 overall and lost 74-67 to Roosevelt in the CIF Southern Section Open division championship game.
Within a 72-hour span, the top-ranked prospects in the 2026 and ’27 high school classes have either hinted at or confirmed future recruiting visits to Gonzaga.
As a precautionary measure, Keiara Stokes told KSR.com the family isn’t planning to disclose dates or additional information about Kyran’s upcoming visits to Gonzaga, USC or Oregon.
“Last time, there were people at the airport waiting,” Keiara told KSR. “I don’t want to say exactly.”
Stokes, a Louisville, Kentucky, native who plays at Notre Dame Sherman Oaks – the same school that produced former GU guard Dusty Stromer – previously told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi he was interested in visiting Gonzaga, but hadn’t set a date.
The five-star prospect recently won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U-19 World Cup in Switzerland, where Stokes played for former Gonzaga assistant and current Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd. Stokes scored 10 points in 15 minutes during the gold medal game against Germany and averaged 9.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 2.6 apg during the tournament.
Small forward Baba Oladotun, the top-ranked 2027 prospect, according to multiple recruiting services, told the website earlier this week he’s planning to visit Gonzaga in October.