Five-Star Guard Tay Kinney Reflects on ‘Great’ Official Visit to Louisville
Tay Kinney, a top-ranked guard from Newport, Kentucky, made an official visit to the University of Louisville last weekend, calling the experience “great” as he continues navigating his high-profile recruitment.
Now playing for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Kinney has been busy showcasing his skills internationally—recently traveling to Dubai and Italy for events, before shining at this week’s NBA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Despite his demanding schedule, he took time for a closer look at Louisville’s basketball program.
Although Kinney had previously been to campus, this visit allowed for a deeper connection with head coach Pat Kelsey and his staff.
“They showed a lot of love to me and my family,” Kinney said. “Coach Kelsey and the staff bring a lot of energy—it was a great visit.”
Ranked No. 14 nationally in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, Kinney said Louisville’s coaching staff made their intentions clear.
“They told me I’m their guy,” he said. “They believe I’m a perfect fit for their system—better than any other program.”
Though he hasn’t set a decision timeline, Kinney emphasized the importance of building relationships with coaching staffs. He noted frequent communication with Kelsey, speaking to him about twice a week, with Kelsey also regularly contacting Kinney’s parents.
Kinney is also hearing from other major programs. In addition to his visit to Purdue, he’s planning official trips to Texas, Arkansas, Oregon, and Kentucky.
Despite recently signing a high school partnership deal with Adidas, Kinney clarified that it won’t impact his college choice. “That deal’s only for high school,” he said. “It won’t affect where I go for college.”
Kinney’s game continues to develop rapidly. He starred for Wildcat Select on the Adidas 3SSB circuit and was one of Louisville’s earliest targets under Kelsey. Last month, Kinney impressed at the Adidas 3SSB event in Iowa, with Kelsey and assistant coaches Thomas Carr and Brian Kloman present to watch.
At that event, 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein praised Kinney as the “most consistent scorer of the weekend,” noting his performances of 29, 25, 26, and 21 points over four games. Finkelstein described him as a scoring guard with deep shooting range, a strong mid-range game, and the ability to attack the basket. While his long-range shooting is still improving, his shot creation and offensive variety stood out.
Kinney originally played for Newport High School, where he averaged 17.5 points and four rebounds, helping lead the team to a regional title. Since joining Overtime Elite, his production has jumped. This past season, he averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game for RWE, shooting 55.6% overall and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
At this week’s Top 100 Camp, Kinney continued to impress, averaging 22 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds over four games—finishing third in scoring and second in assists.
Next up, Kinney will head to Colorado Springs to try out for the USA Basketball U19 team.
