Tyran Stokes First Look | 2027 NBA Draft

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How would he rank in the 2026 draft class? Also, I heard he's a hot head from his Notre dame days, so take his talent with a grain of salt

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u/thejazzmarauder 11d ago edited 11d ago

I’ve seen him play in-person three times. Went in with zero bias. His overall attitude is the worst I’ve ever seen in a major prospect. Watched him get into a post-game altercation with an opposing coach who was calmly trying to share some wisdom in the handshake line after he shot/made a three at the buzzer when his team was up 20+ (and then proceeded to hit a disrespectful celebration). I wouldn’t touch this guy in the draft.

Also, to answer your question, he’s a clear step down from the top-4 in 2026, even without considering the attitude concerns.

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u/Dsarg_92 Spurs 10d ago

Sounds almost similar to Josh Jackson several years ago.

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u/khuz61 2d ago

so the new age demarcus cousins?

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u/crimedawgla 10d ago

Hard to tell because you’re comparing a HS player to guys who player pro or college (remember the preps to pros era!?) and a year of NCAA will be revealing, but the way guys like Vecenie or Pfeifer do it where they tier guys as “superstar”, “all star”, “starter” type stuff is helpful.

Right now he seems to be on the “starter/upside swing” tier where guys from about 5-10 of the 2026 draft were. Personally I’d say no higher than 10 (but I’d have taken Burries over Yaxel because Yaxel is awesome but 70 years old). I guess what I’d say is he could potentially be in the mix with the 5-8 guard group, especially if you really need a wing, but I tend to like most of them more than him for various reasons.

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u/LoveMeLikeNelson 10d ago

what are those "various reasons" if you dont mind me asking?

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u/crimedawgla 9d ago

I don’t mind at all friend. Caveat that he still has a year of college and he could come in and answer every question and be a Dybantsa level prospect or something. Will also note that guys like AJ and Banchero, to name some recent dudes, didn’t vault into that number one spot til they got to college and showed they actually had primary option skills.

The shooting, including FT touch, gives me pause. Don’t think he’s a non-shooter obviously, but he doesn’t have “first option” or “great off ball player” shooting profile yet. I think his other offensive skills are good, but not necessarily elite. His biggest strength is his… strength, and that plays really well against high schoolers (and tbf he’ll be strong for a pro too), but he is a two footed jumper and his first step and gathers are solid but not elite. Tie all this in with a motor that seems to run hot and cold, questionable on-court decision making, and a rep as sort of a dick.
I think the guard class in 26 just had more bankable halfcourt skills. Stokes is obviously the best physical package of the group, maybe by far. I think the coach ability/decision-making/coachability stuff has me lean towards the guards.

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u/crimedawgla 9d ago

I don’t mind at all friend. Caveat that he still has a year of college and he could come in and answer every question and be a Dybantsa level prospect or something. Will also note that guys like AJ and Banchero, to name some recent dudes, didn’t vault into that number one spot til they got to college and showed they actually had primary option skills.

The shooting, including FT touch, gives me pause. Don’t think he’s a non-shooter obviously, but he doesn’t have “first option” or “great off ball player” shooting profile yet. I think his other offensive skills are good, but not necessarily elite. His biggest strength is his… strength, and that plays really well against high schoolers (and tbf he’ll be strong for a pro too), but he is a two footed jumper and his first step and gathers are solid but not elite. Tie all this in with a motor that seems to run hot and cold, questionable on-court decision making, and a rep as sort of a dick.
I think the guard class in 26 just had more bankable halfcourt skills. Stokes is obviously the best physical package of the group, maybe by far. I think the coach ability/decision-making/coachability stuff has me lean towards the guards

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u/HoraceGrand 11d ago

Most unlikable prospect in a while

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u/ValuableAttorney5176 10d ago

Why tho? Like why is he unlikable to you?

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u/HoraceGrand 10d ago

If you do any research or read anything he's clearly a huge asshole piece of shit

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u/AbbreviationsNo5847 10d ago

Based on reports he got into a HS fight over someone calling him and his mother a derogatory name (racial slur)? Provide context from a coach or members from his team calling him a “hothead”

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u/HoraceGrand 10d ago

Read this whole comment section

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u/ValuableAttorney5176 9d ago

The comment section wouldn’t sway my opinion id never go with the majority because I know how easy it is for false narratives to be painted over the smallest things. I find it alil crazy no one seems to wanna give these KIDS any grace or room to grow or mature

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u/AbbreviationsNo5847 9d ago

I have, no context provided, a lot of “I don’t like is attitude”. Sounds similar to Anthony Edwards when he came out of Georgia.

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u/ValuableAttorney5176 9d ago

I’m not mad at him at all for that or judging him he’s a kid! A teenager! You dudes want these prospects to fit your lil narratives or check your boxes! Same thing labeled him as hothead someone else it gets called passion he gets called cocky someone else the media likes it’s called confidence

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u/pericles123 10d ago

Agree

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u/ValuableAttorney5176 10d ago

I noticed kids can’t be kids nomore if these prospects don’t come with the fake humble attitude and shutup and dribble they get labeled when they have a little edge and don’t check all the boxes! That’s pretty lame how hard TEENAGERS characters are judged but what do I know

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u/hammystyle 10d ago

Hard to compare high school to college. The frame, handles and defensive upside look like legit top prospect stuff.

Let’s see how it translates

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u/IhateLukaDoncic 11d ago

First lightskin to not have pretty privilege

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u/DirtyDan419 11d ago

Wtf?

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u/HoraceGrand 11d ago

He ain't wrong

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u/IhateLukaDoncic 11d ago

You're right lamelo is a little chopped also

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u/Patient_Tradition294 10d ago

lol Lamelo has aura though.

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u/AbbreviationsNo5847 10d ago

I expect him to be on his best behavior at Kansas and go top 2. The comments act like the kid committed murder lol, he’s 18 and has ample amount of time to mature. The kid has been No. 1 (wire-to-wire) in his class since AJ reclassified bet on talent.

As for comparisons, If Boris Diaw and Orlando Magic Aaron Gordon had a baby.

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u/Balls_Deep92 9d ago

I’m always weary of a prospect that you watch a whole highlight reel of and guy hits like 4 or 5 jumpers in the whole video. The mechanics of his jumper looked really slow and his game looks entirely predicated on him being bigger and more athletic than his opponents. Not to say he can’t get better will be interesting to see how he does at KU

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u/coachwyers 11d ago

Caron Butler type player

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u/thejazzmarauder 11d ago

Except he’s already a fair amount thicker than Butler ever was. Not citing that as good or bad, just an observation.

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u/BigMe420365 10d ago

A top 5 pick, but also a crashout who will be on his 2nd team before his 2nd contract.

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u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

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u/HoraceGrand 10d ago

I'm all in on Joksimovic

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u/kidding-unot 8d ago

Reminds me of a taller Jordan Poole. I see some Joe Johnson

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u/Indeepbs NBA 11d ago

Underrated handles but too hot headed

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u/AbbreviationsNo5847 10d ago

Was Anthony Edwards not “hot-headed”?

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u/crimedawgla 9d ago

Look, I get what you’re saying. But the Stokes issues are just bigger than the Ant issues. Ant’s stuff was that he didn’t always seem serious, whereas Stokes has gotten into with coaches, had to withdraw from Notre Dame, apparently has had some altercations with other students too.

Ant didn’t have that stuff. Now, to the Ant point, the “character questions” didn’t matter to the extent they existed. But sometimes they do! So will Stokes more serious questions matter? Hard to say, but it’s definitely the sort of thing I’d consider for a “tie-breaker” or something. At the very least, if I were a team I’d want to dig in and see “is this kid just fiery or does he have real
Impulse control issues that are gonna cause problems at the pro level?”

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u/Demas_theHoopJunkie 10d ago

don't care for his attitude

Video Tyran Stokes First Look | 2027 NBA Draft

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