James Weber/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The top recruit in the state of Kentucky’s tenacity was on display against his peers Thursday at Under Armour’s Next Elite 24.
Day 1 of the Under Armour’s Next Elite 24 event concluded on Thursday, as a stacked roster filled with some of the top high school and international players competed in a practice setting, looking to prove themselves against the highest levels of competition.
With a tough group of competition at guard, one player that stood out early was high four-star Taylen Kinney, who is currently ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky and a top-five point guard in the Class of 2026.
Kinney, who stands 6’2”, 160 pounds, was one of the smaller players on the court, but the guard made up for it and more with his tenacity, which was seen from the beginning of the day.
The four-star showcased his defensive instincts, working the front and back levels in 3-on-2 drills to disrupt passing lanes, while also making an impressive recovery block later on.
Overall, though, the guard looked to keep constant ball pressure in an attempt to disrupt his opponents, with that tenacity standing out.
Kinney showed the ability to score as a sophomore this past season for Newport High School, averaging 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, helping his team win a second consecutive 9th Region championship.
So, coming into the event with a number of NBA scouts in attendance, Kinney looked to showcase his two-way skillset and the motor that separated him from the field on Thursday.
The guard attributed those efforts to his high school coach, whose No. 1 mantra is hard defense.
“That’s all my coach preaches is hard defense. Hard defense,” Kinney said. “Hold our defender to the least points as they can get. [I wanted to prove myself] just coming out here competing against the top guys, showing everybody in the NBA scouts, I can play both sides of the ball, not just one side.”
With the uptick in competition, Kinney is looking to play the right way this weekend, while showing more of his off-ball skills as well.
“[I’m looking to prove that] I’m just a good player. Like, I can play the right way. I don’t gotta score every time. I don’t gotta have a ball in my hand every time,” Kinney said.
But, in doing so, that motor is a staple of the four-star’s game, who takes pride in being a smaller guard, which keeps him humbled with a chip on his shoulder.
“Yeah, you got to [have a chip on your shoulder],” Kinney said in regard to his size. “I don’t like to get bullied by nobody.”
At 160 pounds, Kinney has strength as a key focus of improvement next year, while also looking to better his abilities off the dribble and with distance shooting.
“My strength and definitely my pace off ball screens [are areas I’m looking to improve]. And [working] off the dribble and shooting deeper.”
It’s still early in the recruitment for the 2026 guard, but fit with his next program will be Kinney’s No. 1 factor.
“Just a perfect fit,” Kinney said about his ideal school. “I want to build a good relationship with the coach, you know. I want to go out to a place that feels like home and that’s a great fit for me.”
Thus far, the rising junior has already accumulated over a dozen scholarship offers, including ones from Tennessee, Indiana, Louisville, and Texas A&M, among others.
Additionally, he picked up offers from schools such as Oregon, LSU, and Villanova after a strong performance at the Adidas 3SSB Championship earlier this summer.
If Kentucky ultimately offers the No. 1 recruit in the state, it could set up for a competitive battle between a number of teams for the four-star.
But, at the moment, Kinney is looking to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him.
He’s already done so with the Adidas 3SSB Championship, and now has his eyes set on the Under Armour Elite 24 this weekend.
