Kentucky Basketball’s Surprising Move That Could Change Tay Kinney’s Future Forever

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Tay Kinney, the Bluegrass region’s crown jewel in basketball, just ramped up his recruitment saga, paring down a sprawling lineup to a dozen elite programs, per the latest word from Joe Tipton. This 5-star point guard, a Louisville native through and through, naturally keeps Kentucky in his sights—a familiar name that always looms large. Yet, the drama thickens with powerhouse contenders like Louisville, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, and Auburn still in the chase. Standing 6-foot-1 and currently showcasing his skills with Overtime Elite, Kinney’s calendar is filling fast with visits, having already checked out Kentucky, Louisville, and Purdue, and lined up stops at Arkansas, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, and Kansas soon. With rankings teasing a top-25 slot nationwide and chatter swirling about Louisville’s lead overshadowing Kentucky’s hustle, the question burns: can coach Mark Pope pivot this narrative before it’s too late? All eyes remain fixed on Kinney, who aims to unveil his college choice before the fall season tip-off. LEARN MORE
To no surprise, the Kentucky Wildcats made the cut for the Louisville native. Other schools still on his list include the Louisville Cardinals, Arkansas Razorbacks, Texas Longhorns, Kansas Jayhawks, Tennessee Volunteers, and Auburn Tigers, among others.
Kinney is planning to make his college announcement before his senior season begins.
The recent buzz in this recruitment has been that Louisville leads, Arkansas is making a strong push, and Kentucky is falling behind. Will Mark Pope be able to change that before it’s too late?
The recruitment of Bluegrass product Tay Kinney has reached its next step, as the 5-star point guard has trimmed his list down to 12 schools, according to Joe Tipton.
In the class of 2026, Kinney is ranked 23rd overall by Rivals, 11th by 247 Sports, and 17th by ESPN.

The 6-foot-1 Kinney, now playing for Overtime Elite, has already taken official visits to Kentucky, Louisville, and Purdue. He’s planning to take trips to Arkansas, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, and Kansas in the coming weeks.