Mark Pope extends offer to 2026 4-star PG Tay Kinney

Tay Kinney might be leaving the state of Kentucky to finish out his high school career, but the coaching staff in Lexington is looking to bring him back home for college.

On Wednesday afternoon, Kinney announced through Instagram that he received an offer from the Wildcats. He tells KSR that the scholarship came from head coach Mark Pope earlier today while on an unofficial visit to campus. A return visit to UK is on the docket for Big Blue Madness, which is set for Friday, Oct. 11.

“It was just a regular visit. I talked to Coach Pope for like an hour and watched a little bit of film with him,” Kinney told KSR. “I was with the whole coaching staff, we watched film together.”

Kinney is a four-star recruit and is considered the No. 33 overall prospect from the 2026 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-2 point guard recently transferred from Newport (KY) to Overtime Elite (GA).

2026 four-star point guard Tay Kinney has received an offer from Kentucky, he announced via Instagram.

Kinney recently transferred from Newport (KY) to Overtime Elite (GA).

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Kinney has been on Kentucky’s radar since the spring, prior to his massive summer on the AAU circuit for Wildcat Select 16U. Assistant coach Cody Fueger has been in talks the most with the talented floor general, who said that he and the staff talked a handful of times previously about him receiving an offer from Kentucky.

Two days after news broke of his decision to transfer to OTE, the Wildcats elected to finally pull the trigger on one of the nation’s top junior point guards. He’s also been offered by the likes of Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Villanova, Michigan, and many more.

“I was excited. Thankful. Grateful for it,” Kinney added.

Kinney is also close friends with recent Kentucky commit Malachi Moreno, who is ranked No. 25 overall in the 2025 class. “That’s my boy,” he said. The two were teammates at the Under Armour Next Elite 24 showcase earlier this month.

Additionally, he’s about to team up at Overtime Elite alongside another talented in-state prospect, Jasper Johnson, who is ranked No. 11 overall in 2025 with a decision expected next week. Johnson is down to Kentucky, Alabama, and North Carolina.

So why the move from Newport, where he would have had a chance to win a state championship this season, to OTE?

“I just feel like it was a better situation for me for my development so I can get better every day, compete against the top guys around the country,” Kinney explained.