Mark Pope's Kentucky to host Jasper Johnson's former teammate and top 20 recruit Taylen Kinney
Taylen Kinney is one of the top-ranked point guards in the 2026 class, with several top programs battling to recruit him. Mark Pope’s Kentucky is hoping Kinney will choose them due to his affiliation with the state.
Kinney is set to take an official visit to Kentucky on June 24-25, and fans of the Wildcats will hope the 6-foot-2 standout from Newport, Kentucky, chooses to remain in his native state.
Kinney was a top performer at Newport High School before transferring to Overtime Elite last season as a junior. The interest in Kinney continues to grow. Apart from Kentucky, other major programs, including Indiana, Illinois, Ohio State, Xavier and Alabama, have offered scholarships.
His growing reputation was further boosted by his impressive showing at the NBPA Top 100 Camp this month. Competing against some of the best talents in his class, Kinney handled pressure well, scored from multiple spots, and created shots for his teammates.
Kinney has also been impressive on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, playing for the Wildcats Select. He averaged double figures in points and has consistently been one of the most impactful players on the court.
Kinney played alongside Jasper Johnson, a fellow Kentucky native and top-10 recruit who has already committed to Mark Pope’s program. Their chemistry from high school could become a factor in Kinney’s recruitment.
With a visit to Lexington lined up, the next few weeks could be key in Kinney’s recruitment journey.
Taylen Kinney included in NBPA Top 100 first team
On Saturday, the Overtime Elite Instagram page posted news of Taylen Kinney being included in the NBPA Top 100 first team.
"Saw this comin a mile away 🫡 Congrats TK 🎉 @taylen_kinney13 @top100camp @thenbpa," the caption read.
Kinney played for Team Singleton, averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. He shot 52.4% from the field. The guard also scored 15 points or more in all of his games during the scrimmages.