{"id":117562,"date":"2025-06-23T01:42:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T01:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/117562\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T01:42:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T01:42:10","slug":"tay-kinney-discusses-kentucky-vs-louisville-and-potentially-following-jasper-johnson-to-lexington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/117562\/","title":{"rendered":"Tay Kinney discusses Kentucky vs. Louisville – and potentially following Jasper Johnson to Lexington"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kentucky<\/a> has an extra recruiter in the building as it pushes for top-20 recruit Tay Kinney<\/a>, a native of Newport, KY and arguably the top point guard in the class of 2026. The 6-2 scorer is a former high school teammate of Jasper Johnson<\/a>, the local standouts building a close connection both on and off the floor suiting up for Overtime Elite\u2019s RWE in Atlanta. Johnson averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per contest while Kinney added 20.1 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, forming one of the most talented and productive backcourts in the country last season.<\/p>\n

Now, Johnson is an incoming freshman at Kentucky while Mark Pope<\/a> is pushing for Kinney as one of his top targets in the rising senior class. It won\u2019t hurt the Wildcats\u2019 efforts having what resembles more of an older brother relationship than just a teammate on their side when it comes time for the No. 16 overall prospect to choose a school.<\/p>\n

Take their exchange in KSR\u2019s interview with Kinney in Colorado Springs at USA U19 Training Camp, for example. While asking about the four-star guard\u2019s play and recruitment, Johnson was in the background trying to distract him from sharing polished, buttoned-up answers. Kinney responded by telling the world he\u2019s better than his old RWE teammate \u2014 all in good fun, of course.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just gonna say one player, Jasper Johnson \u2014 I\u2019m a better overall player than him,\u201d he told KSR. \u201cI can shoot better than him, dribble better than him, dunk better than him.\u201d<\/p>\n

What does Johnson do better than Kinney?<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n

More on that in a second, but back to the real stuff, for now. Kentucky and Louisville, the two home-state schools, are seen as the top contenders with both coaching staffs pushing for the dynamic scorer out of Newport. They\u2019re not alone, though, Kinney telling KSR that Texas, Arkansas, Indiana and Oregon are all pushing hard for his services, too. He\u2019ll be visiting the Ducks in Eugene on September 6 with the Razorbacks, Hoosiers and Longhorns also expected to receive dates. He previously saw Purdue (January) and Louisville (June).<\/p>\n

But the Wildcats are next in line, set to host the top-20 recruit for an official this week from June 24-26.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely grown over the weeks, months,\u201d he told KSR of his relationship with Pope and the UK staff. \u201cThey want me to get on campus as soon as possible for this official visit. I\u2019m talking to them more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Pope got some one-on-one time with Tay Kinney during his time in Colorado Springs<\/p>\n

Thought to be a head-to-head battle between Kentucky and Louisville for the top-20 recruit\u2019s commitment<\/p>\n

Native of Newport, KY pic.twitter.com\/8wEiRj3dJ8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) June 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Something working in UK\u2019s favor? He grew up around BBN members with the blue and white regularly on TV around the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s lit, they had Kentucky on fire, you know?\u201d Kinney said of his memories of the Wildcats growing up. \u201cMost of my family, they\u2019re Kentucky fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t all blue, though. A few of his family members root for the Cardinals, too \u2014 and he definitely feels the tugging on both sides with the respective fanbases. <\/p>\n

Apparently some BBN comments have caught his attention, for what it\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a great relationship, a great relationship,\u201d he told KSR of UL. \u201cLouisville fans are definitely pulling for me, I don\u2019t know about Kentucky fans \u2014 they said a couple things that are crazy. But they\u2019re definitely pulling for me, some of them. They just say stuff about other players [laughs].\u201d<\/p>\n

No further comment on that, but whatever it is doesn\u2019t appear to be hurting Kentucky\u2019s chances too much considering he\u2019s days away from exploring campus in Lexington. Kinney added in a follow-up interview with On3\u2019s Jamie Shaw<\/a> that Pope and his staff\u2019s ability to rebuild the entire roster from scratch and win at the level the Wildcats did \u201cjust shows a lot about the coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComing in with zero players on the roster, put together a whole new team and they were out there winning,\u201d he said.<\/a><\/p>\n

A list cut down to six is coming soon \u2014 you can probably guess those six, considering the visit plans and schools pushing hardest at this point. From there, a decision isn\u2019t too far away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to commit before the season,\u201d he told KSR. <\/p>\n

What will separate the school that most feels like home? When will he know that\u2019s where he needs to be?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be where I\u2019m most comfortable,\u201d Kinney continued. \u201cIt\u2019s where I feel I can go in there and they put the ball in my hands as a freshman and I\u2019m able to go out and perform my best to get to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where things come full-circle with Jasper Johnson. His decision won\u2019t necessarily steer him toward the blue over red, but Kinney is a big supporter and is excited to see how he plays in year one.<\/p>\n

Who knows, maybe he\u2019ll be following in his footsteps as a Wildcat next year?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt don\u2019t really impact me \u2014 I just want to see him succeed. I\u2019m just gonna see how he does this year, maybe follow him? I don\u2019t know yet,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n