Kansas' Tyran Stokes Talks 'Personal' Kentucky Matchup After Win in Champions Classic

Kansas freshman star Tyran Stokes brought some extra juice into Tuesday night's matchup against Kentucky in the Champions Classic.

Before Stokes signed with the Jayhawks, the Wildcats were also a finalist for the Louisville native. So Tuesday's game was especially meaningful for Stokes as he dropped 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to lead Kansas to an 89-69 victory.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure everyone obviously knows. For me, it was up to Kansas and Kentucky for my last two schools," Stokes said after the game, per ESPN's Myron Metcalf. "I'm from Louisville. I had a long recruiting process with Kentucky, so obviously when I chose Kansas and I knew that game was going to be here, it was personal for sure. But we got the [win], played together great as a team. That's all that matters."

Widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, Stokes rose to the occasion while playing in front of dozens of NBA scouts and executives in attendance at the United Center. In addition to showcasing his skill set, he also showed poise as he didn't let his emotions get the better of him in the rivalry game.

"For me, just growing up, I was a [North Carolina-Louisville] fan. A lot of my family either likes Louisville or Kentucky, but I was on the Louisville side," Stokes said. "So, growing up, you know the tradition and the rivalry that was between Louisville and Kentucky. So being from Louisville, I still got that same emotion as if I was playing for Louisville. But I'm here in Kansas, so obviously being able to play against a school like that is just one of one and it's my first time to step on a big stage and show what I can do."

Stokes and the Jayhawks (3-0) will have a long layoff before they return to action next Tuesday against UNLV (2-0).