If you want to see one of the top high school freshman basketball players, his name is Tyran Stokes. Stokes, a 6-7 195-pound native of Louisville, will be in Kentucky playing for Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif. It’s one of the top teams in the nation. He was born in Louisville and still has a lot of family there. He moved to San Diego at age nine and spent a year in Georgia near Atlanta before returning to California. His play is so spectacular that he earned the Hickman Tyran “Baby Charles Barkley” Stokes in middle school.
Photo Cred: Rivals Basketball Recruiting
“He is a superstar in the making,” Prolific Prep coach Ryan Bernardi said. “If you haven’t seen him, you wouldn’t believe that he’s only a freshman.”
Tyran Stokes is a big-bodied wing who is quick and nimble for his size and has an impressive skill set. He’s tough to stop once he gets a head of steam and is a finisher around the basket. He rebounds and has easy above-the-rim ability due to his size, length, and bounce. He’s learning to rely less on his athletic ability, and his 3pt shooting and jump shoot is still developing. Stokes has good hands on defense, moves his feet well, and guards in space well for a player his size.
Photo Cred: 247 Sports
“I love the game because I have fun playing, and I enjoy it. It’s like therapy to get away from things off the court,” Stokes stated.
Stokes plays on the Nike EYBL circuit with Team WhyNot in the 16-year-old age group. Stokes is a Class of 2026 prospect. He will be a freshman in high school this fall – playing up two age groups on that team and thriving. In his first career start, which came for the No. 1-ranked team in the country, Stokes posted 20 points and nine rebounds in a win over Southern California Academy.
Photo Cred: 247 Sports
While many have compared him to Charles Barkley and Zion Williams, he doesn’t see it that way. “I don’t like to model my game after anyone. I try to be my person.” He said. “My favorite player is Kd because he is just a tough player. He can get past anyone, scores on all three levels, and is just him!”
Photo Cred: Rivals
He’s on a team loaded with Division I signees, including McDonald’s All-American guard Aden Holloway (Auburn), but he still averages 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Stokes already has scholarship offers from Alabama, LSU, Louisville, Xavier, Texas A&M, Arizona State, IUPUI, and Jackson State. Indiana, UCLA, North Carolina State, and USC are among the other schools that have reached out about Stokes.
