Kentucky Basketball still in the cut for Tay Kinney

Kinney has already completed official visits to Kentucky, Louisville, and Purdue. He’s expected to visit several more schools in the coming weeks, including Arkansas, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, and Kansas.

Standing at 6-foot-1, Kinney is ranked as one of the top players in the 2026 class—coming in at No. 23 via Rivals, No. 11 by 247Sports, and No. 17 on ESPN.

Although Kentucky made the cut, recent recruiting chatter suggests Louisville is currently out in front, while Arkansas is quickly gaining momentum. Meanwhile, Kentucky appears to be slipping in the race. It remains to be seen whether new head coach Mark Pope can turn things around before Kinney makes his decision, which is expected to come before the start of his senior year.