Tyran Stokes isn't the First Top-Ranked Recruiting Battle Between Kentucky and Kansas

Kentucky’s Monumental Recruiting Monday has injected life into the corner of the internet the BBN calls home in a way not seen in many years. There was a time and place when recruiting announcements sucked up all of the oxygen, and many times, those decisions involved the Wildcats and the Jayhawks.

The most memorable of them all happened 13 years ago. On May 14, 2013, Andrew Wiggins prepared to announce his college commitment.

On the heels of a disappointing NIT bid, Kentucky basketball fans were starving for a rebound. John Calipari had already picked up a commitment from Julius Randle, and had the Wildcats in the thick of it for the Harrison Twins. Of all the big-name players, none was bigger than Andrew Wiggins.

At a time on the internet when a quality YouTube mixtape was worth its weight in gold, Wiggins was the best thing the basketball world had seen since John Wall. His leaping ability was out of this world, his explosiveness unmatched, and his best plays were seen by millions. He wasn’t billed as “the next LeBron,” but “the first Andrew Wiggins.”

Unlike many modern recruitments, Wiggins kept things close to the vest. He had family ties to Florida State, but would he actually play college basketball in Tallahassee? Kentucky made the most sense on paper, but Kansas was lurking.

His decision was a complete mystery, inspiring Matt Jones to create a radio spectacle. Over the course of two hours, KSR called the biggest names on Matt Jones’ contact list, ranging from Jay Bilas to the Sklar Brothers and Tony Schiavone, to ask a simple question: “Where do you think Andrew Wiggins is going to go?”

Big Blue Nation was buzzing, until Wiggins picked Kansas.

Hindsight makes you wonder why there was such a fervor over Wiggins. He was a good player at Kansas, averaging more than 17 points per game, but he did not dominate the sport in the way we expected. Still, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He’s been a good pro, yet his lack of killer instinct prevented him from taking the next step to greatness.

Fast forward to 2026, and Kentucky and Kansas are once again battling for the No. 1 player in the country. Bill Self has a new foe on the other sideline, as Mark Pope tries to bring Louisville native Tyran Stokes back to Lexington. How the recruiting game is played has changed, but the mystery and anticipation surrounding this decision have not. Will Kentucky get this one across the finish line? We’re still impatiently playing the waiting game.