Top 2026 high school basketball recruit transferring to Southern California power

Tyran Stokes, a 6-foot-7 forward, already has offers from Kansas, Louisville, Kentucky, UCLA and many others

Vegas Elite's Tyran Stokes (4) look to the sidelines during the Vegas Elite and Boo Williams game on the third day of the Peach Jam at Riverview Park Activities Center on July 5, 2023 in North Augusta, S.C. Vegas Elite defeated Boo Williams 71-52. / Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Mission League will have another elite-level boys basketball prospect this upcoming 2024-25 season.

Tyran Stokes, a 2026, 5-star forward, is transferring from Napa Prolific Prep to Notre Dame Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles.

Notre Dame has been a top-tier, CIF Southern Section Open Division-level program for the last three seasons highlighted by standouts Dusty Stromer (now at Gonzaga), Caleb Foster (Duke), and most recently, Mercy Miller (Houston). All of those pieces are gone, but Stokes will surely fill the void when it comes to a go-to player, so to speak.

Stokes, 16, will join ultra-dynamic point guard Lino Mark (class of 2025), athletic 2026 wing Zach White, rising junior Caleb Ogbu, and new 2027 transfer Josiah Nance (from Northridge Heritage Christian). Nance is considered one of the top sophomores in California at 6-foot-5.

Stokes is rated the No. 1 power forward in the country, according to 247Sports.com, and the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-7, do-it-all forward currently holds offers to Kansas, Louisville, Kentucky, UCLA, Texas and Alabama, among of a bevy of others.

Stokes just finished a trip to Türkiye with Team USA U17 where he was a key player, along with Cam Boozer and Brandon McCoy, en route to winning the gold medal at the FIBA World Championships. Stokes averaged 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in the event.

The nation's best 2026 prospects already reside in Southern California, including No. 1-rated Brandon McCoy of St. John Bosco. Chatworth's Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, is ranked No. 4 in the class. Inglewood's Jason Crowe Jr. is No. 5 and Westchester's Tajh Ariza is No. 5 -- son of former NBA wing Trevor Ariza.

Stokes' transfer will add luster to the already much-anticipated Mission League games when taking on two-time defending CIF State Open Division champion Harvard-Westlake and Sierra Canyon, highlighted by LeBron James' youngest son, Bryce James (2025). Harvard-Westlake is led by standout 5-star forward Nik Khamenia and 4-star transfer Joe Sterling (from Crespi).

St. Francis, Chaminade, Alemany, Loyola and Crespi are high quality programs, too. St. Francis will be led by junior DeLan Grant after senior Mazi Mosley announced he’s transferring to Montverde Academy (Fla.) earlier this week.

Alemany is the defending CIF State Division III champion. Crespi is led by former Laker Derek Fisher at the helm, along with senior forward Peyton White and Isaiah and Carter Barnes, the twin sons of former NBA guard Matt Barnes.

QUICK HIT ON NOTRE DAME

Mark is a 4-star rated recruit with offers to UC Santa Barbara, TCU, Washington State, Utah, Cal State Northridge and USC. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 15.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game as a junior.

White is expected to take on a bigger role and is likley to see his recruiting pick up this summer and season. He's 6-foot-6, wiry strong and working to polish his 3-point shot. White is the son of former Crespi football standout Russell White.

Notre Dame has earned a berth to the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs in two of the last three seasons. The Knights were co-Mission League champions with Harvard-Westlake in 2022. Won CIF State Division 1 title in 2023 and the CIF -SS Division 1 crown in 2024.