Future Jayhawks represent KU in McDonald’s All-American Game

photo by: Brian Spurlock/McDonald's All-American Game

Taylen Kinney is photographed on Friday, March 27, 2026.

Two future Jayhawks represented Kansas in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Tuesday night in Glendale, Arizona.

Guard Taylen Kinney of Newport, Kentucky, played for the East team in the boys’ game, while center Cydnee Bryant of Riverside, California, played for the West team in the girls’ game.

Kinney, the men’s program’s 53rd signee to earn the McDonald’s honor, recorded five points on 2-for-8 shooting to go with three assists and two rebounds.

The 6-foot-2 product of Overtime Elite is known as a scoring point guard, but he demonstrated his vision as a passer early in Tuesday night’s all-star showcase, attempting to lead Jaxon Richardson with a bounce pass that ended up deflecting out of bounds and penetrating off the dribble to set up Anthony Thompson for an open corner 3. He also, after a strong defensive rebound, lobbed a full-court pass on target to Richardson.

As a scorer, Kinney was not particularly efficient but remained aggressive. One of his two buckets came on an uncontested dunk after his teammates’ trap forced an errant pass that Kinney was able to intercept and take the other way. (On the other hand, Kinney committed a turnover of his own in a similar situation soon afterward.) He then knocked down a step-back 3-pointer when he found himself matched up against top center recruit and Houston signee Arafan Diané in the left corner.

Kinney’s East squad ended up falling 102-86 in a game that had been tied at halftime. KU recruiting target Tyran Stokes, the top-ranked player in the class of 2026 who still has yet to announce a commitment decision, finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, demonstrating his potent combination of strength and agility.

The girls’ game went in the East’s favor, 91-71. Bryant, who is just the third McDonald’s All-American the KU women’s team has ever recruited out of high school, did not score in five attempts and tallied one rebound off a shot that was blocked by one of her teammates.

The 6-foot-4 forward from Centennial High School in Corona, California, who is also signed to play volleyball at KU, took an aggressive approach early, attempting a post fadeaway shortly after her first touch and then a right-wing 3-pointer. Three of her attempts on the night came from beyond the arc.

She displayed her athleticism at certain points, such as when she picked up speed, took a pass from a teammate and beat opposing center and Michigan State signee Lilly Williams to the rim, although she wasn’t able to finish. Bryant also displayed glimpses of an ability to switch onto opposing guards, something she had referenced trying to cultivate as part of her game during the McDonald’s media day event on Monday.

She did at one point concede a bad turnover that had her on the receiving end of a step-back 3, and also committed what likely should have been a foul on a 3-point attempt at the buzzer to conclude a quarter.

Kinney is one of four signees in the KU men’s basketball recruiting class to this point, along with forward Davion Adkins, guard Luke Barnett and wing Trent Perry. Bryant joins guard Mollie Ernstes and forward Brooklynn Renn in the women’s basketball recruiting class.