Kentucky, St. John’s look to bounce back after tough recruiting defeats
As we head towards the end of April, there aren’t too many priority recruiting battles left in college basketball, both in the class of 2026 incoming freshmen and in the transfer portal among eligible players. However, on Tuesday, there were two big pieces on news, involving four notable programs, where there were clear winners and losers.
Tyran Stokes picks Kansas over Kentucky
For the past year, Stokes has been viewed as the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2026. The two blue bloods have always been the leaders for his commitment, with the Jayhawks being in the lead. It was made official on Tuesday, with Coach Bill Self adding another five-star player to his roster.
The rough month continues for Coach Mark Pope and the Wildcats, missing out on yet another target. They did land James Madison wing transfer Justin McBride yesterday to add to the depth but they needed someone like Stokes who could be a focal point on the offense. Now, it’s still a roster that lacks high-end talent and the vibes around the program are at an all-time low.
The options for the team are running thin, with NBA Draft entrants, Allen Graves and Milan Momcilovic being two on the only players they can add, if they want to return to college basketball. Right now, that appears doubtful.
Gonzaga lands Massamba Diop over St. John’s
Frontcourt players have been coveted throughout the offseason. Diop is one of the last ones available, with it being a two-team race between the Bulldogs and Red Storm. After visiting both programs, Gonzaga ultimately won out.
While Gonzaga now has one of the top frontcourts in the nation next year with Diop and Braden Huff, St. John’s now has more questions. They did land Syracuse transfer forward Donnie Freeman, an all-league candidate, but the five-spot could have issues. Reuben Prey showed flashes of being a key piece but is giving him extended minutes the answer? There’s also 7’0 international commit, Lazar Stojkovic, joining the team but he’s also unproven.
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