Kansas guard Tyran Stokes is the top-ranked freshman in college basketball. We know he can hoop but can he spell?
A recent video from the Monster Energy Big 12 Media Days raises doubt about the latter…
Given that Stokes is likely to be a first round NBA Draft pick in 2027, his academic marks are not of significant concern. His goal is to win a national title in his first year with the Jayhawks and get out.
Who is Tyran Stokes?
If you have not yet turned your focus toward the 2026-27 college basketball season, Tyran Stokes is a name you need to know. Kansas is a legitimate national title contender and its five-star freshman will be crucial to success.
At 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, Stokes was ranked as the No. 1 player in the recruiting Class of 2026 out of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Washington. He received 25 scholarship offers but any school in the country would’ve been thrilled to receive his commitment. Oregon, Kentucky and Kansas made the final three. The Jayhawks won out in the end.
Stokes averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals as a senior in high school. Rainier Beach went 29-1 and won the 3A state title in Washington.
Stokes also led all players with nine rebounds at the McDonald’s All-American game. He added 12 points, three assists and two blocks.
All of this goes to say that Stokes is expected to be an immediate impact player in Lawrence. The true freshman, who is listed on the roster as a guard, scored 15 points with nine rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes during Kansas’ exhibition game against Louisville on Wednesday. However, he shot only 23% from the field, went 0-3 from beyond the arc, and committed three turnovers. It was not his best outing but it was a good first introduction to college basketball against a legitimate opponent.
Kansas basketball’s five-star freshman struggled to spell ‘wagon.’
The Jayhawks attended Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday, one day prior to its exhibition game against the Cardinals. Stokes was one of the players who made the trip.
He was one of the biggest draws of the event, as illustrated by the amount of reporters that surrounded his table.
Shortly before Kansas got back on the plane to head home, he and his teammates gathered in front of a large (styrofoam?) basketball. The Big 12 media team asked him to sign the giant ball with a short message, just like the players on other teams before him.
Stokes decided to write the phrase “Load The Wagon.” It stems from a favorite saying of Bill Self Sr., who passed away during the 2021-2022 college basketball season. His son, current Jayhawks head basketball coach Bill Self Jr., adopted the saying.
“Don’t worry about the mules, just load the wagon” means that you should focus on doing your job and controlling the controllables, rather than worrying about outside factors or things you cannot change. It has become a rallying cry at Kansas.
With that origin story in mind, Stokes decided to write “Load The Wagon” on the basketball at Media Days. There was only one problem. It did not appear as though he knew how to spell “Wagon.” His teammates had to help him out.
Tyran Stokes with a message to #kubball fans: Load the wagon! pic.twitter.com/KevbdBH1KI
— Eric Lucio (@erictalkssports) October 20, 2026
Perhaps Stokes knew how to spell the word “Wagon” and forgot. Perhaps he knows how to spell the word “Wagon” and wanted confirmation from his teammates. Or, maybe, he actually does not know how to spell the word “Wagon.”
Tyran Stokes is not in Lawrence to play school. He is there to hoop. His spelling, or lack thereof, won’t matter. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he’s going to be a one-and-done anyway.