2025 North Carolina Sports Network
Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Spotlight:
Stanford University


By Ben McCormick
North Carolina Sports Network


School: Stanford University

Location: Palo Alto, Calif.

Previous NCAA Conference Affiliations: Independent (1913-16, 1917-18), Pacific Coast Conference (1916-17, 1918-59), Athletic Association of Western Universities (1959-68), Pac-8/Pac-10/Pac-12 (1968-24)

ACC Member Since: 2024-25

ACC Ranking Among 31 Leagues (KenPom): 5th (2025), 5th (2024), 7th (2023), 5th(2022), 5th (2021), 4th (2020)

NCAA Tournament Bids: 17 (1942, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2014)

NCAA Championships: 1 (1942)

Final Fours: 2 (1942, 1998)

Conference Titles: 1 (2004)

Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 13 (PCC in 1920, 1921, 1923, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1941, 1942; AAWU in 1963; Pac-10 in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004)

Head Coach: Kyle Smith (55 years old, 1st season)

As A Player: Hamilton (1987-91)

Record at Stanford (through Jan. 17): 11-6 (.647) in 1st season

Previous HC Experience: Columbia (2010-16), San Francisco (2016-19), Washington State (2019-24)

College AC Experience: San Diego (1992-00), Air Force (2000-01), Saint Mary’s (2001-10)

Assistant Under: Hank Egan (San Diego), Brad Holland (San Diego), Joe Scott (Air Force), Randy Bennett (Saint Mary’s)

2023-24 Record: 14-18, 8-12 (9th in 12-team Pac-12)

2024-25 Preseason Prediction (Coaches): 17th in 18-team ACC

2024-25 Record (through Jan. 17): 11-6, 3-3 ACC

2024-25 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #92 nationally (10th in ACC)

Upcoming Schedule: at UNC (1/18), Miami (1/22), Florida State (1/25), Syracuse (1/29), at SMU (2/1), Wake Forest (2/5), NC State (2/8)


Stanford is looking for Kyle Smith to repeat his success from Washington State.

In his fifth year with the Cougars last season, Smith led Washington State to a #7 seed in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007-08. He had WSU ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for stints last season, too — something that also hadn’t been done since 2007-08. His efforts earned him the 2024 Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor.

With the Cougars being left behind in the rapidly changing world of conference realignment, Smith found greener pastures at Stanford, where the Cardinal hope the 55-year-old can lead the program to its first NCAA Tournament since coach Johnny Dawkins’ 2013-14 group reached the Sweet 16.

Smith’s first significant accomplishment as the head coach of the Cardinal was convincing Maxime Raynaud, a reigning second-team All-Pac 12 performer and the 2024 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, to withdraw his name from the transfer portal and return to Stanford.

“I’ve had time to reflect since the season ended, and I’ve come to the realization that there is no better place for me to continue my basketball journey than here at Stanford,” Raynaud said. “I am excited to play for Kyle Smith, to earn my degree from Stanford, and to lead this team on The Farm.”

So far, Raynaud has been the lifeblood of Smith’s inaugural Stanford team and the Cardinal’s first season in the ACC. The 7-foot-1 center leads the league in points per game (20.5) and rebounds per game (11.5). If that level of dominance continues, he is virtually assured of landing a spot on the All-ACC first team come March.

Stanford started the season 6-0 before suffering a 78-71 loss to Grand Canyon. That was one of three non-conference losses for the Cardinal. The other two came to Cal Poly and #13 Oregon. While the Cardinal’s overall record wasn’t bad coming into conference play, there were serious doubts about how good they really were due to the quality of competition.

In ACC play, Stanford has claimed wins over some of the lower-rated teams in the conference, such as Virginia Tech, Virginia and California. However, it also has lost by double-figures to NCAA Tournament hopefuls Clemson, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest.

Much of Stanford’s struggle has been because Raynaud has not had a lot of help.

Stanford’s second- and third-leading scorers are Duke transfer Jaylen Blakes (14.5 points per game) and Southern Cal transfer Oziyah Sellers (14.3). As solid as those two have been in the backcourt, both players are taking on exponentially larger roles at Stanford than they did at their previous schools.

Blakes, for instance, averaged only 1.8 points at Duke in 2023-24. Yet his defense earned him a starting role at Stanford, and he has found ways to be an offensive threat, too.

As most of Smith’s roster is developing, his best player — Raynaud — is still searching for a winning season for the first time in his college career.


2024-25 Stanford Cardinal
(11-6, 3-3 ACC; through Jan. 17)

STARTERS (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

PG Jaylen Blakes, Gr. (6-2/200) — Duke transfer (backup)
32 mpg, 15 ppg, 3 rpg, 44% FG, 80% FT, 34% threes, 89/38 ATO, 6 blocks, 33 steals

G Oziyah Sellers, Jr. (6-5/190) — Southern Cal transfer (backup)
32 mpg, 14 ppg, 3 rpg, 49% FG, 85% FT, 41% threes, 15/19 ATO, 7 blocks, 12 steals

G Ryan Agarwal, r-So. (6-6/195) — 4-star HS signee in Class of 2022
28 mpg, 8 ppg, 5 rpg, 35% FG, 83% FT, 27% threes, 39/8 ATO, 5 blocks, 12 steals

F Aidan Cammann, Fr. (6-10/220) — 3-star HS signee in Class of 2024
19 mpg, 3 ppg, 3 rpg, 52% FG, 60% FT, 33% threes, 18/18 ATO, 10 blocks, 7 steals

F Maxime Raynaud*, Sr., (7-1/235) — 3-year starter, All-Pac-12 in 2023-24
34 mpg, 21 ppg, 12 rpg, 51% FG, 72% FT, 36% threes, 30/40 ATO, 16 blocks, 17 steals

KEY RESERVES (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

PG Benny Gealer, Jr. (6-1/180) — 3-star HS walk-on in Class of 2022
19 mpg, 6 ppg, 2 rpg, 33% FG, 91% FT, 36% threes, 26/5 ATO, 0 blocks, 14 steals

F Chisom Okpara, Jr. (6-8/240) — Harvard transfer (starter)
16 mpg, 6 ppg, 2 rpg, 40% FG, 67% FT, 32% threes, 14/24 ATO, 7 blocks, 15 steals

F Donavin Young, Fr. (6-8/215) — 3-star HS signee in Class of 2024
16 mpg, 4 ppg, 2 rpg, 64% FG, 100% FT, 75% threes, 0/1 ATO, 0 blocks, 0 steals

F Evan Stinson, Fr. (6-7/195) — 3-star HS signee in Class of 2024
11 mpg, 3 ppg, 1 rpg, 31% FG, 100% FT, 18% threes, 4/3 ATO, 0 blocks, 3 steals

Departures from 2023-24: F Brandon Angel* (Sr./transfer/Oregon), PG Jared Bynum (Ss./England), G Kanaan Carlyle* (Fr./transfer/Indiana), G Michael Jones* (Ss.), F Spencer Jones* (Ss./G League), F James Keefe (Ss.), F Max Murrell (Sr./transfer/UC Santa Barbara), G Andrej Stojakovic (Fr./transfer/California)

*—2023-24 starter (started at least 50% of Stanford’s games last season)

 


Stanford Cardinal
10-Year Snapshot

Season: Overall, League (Place), Postseason

2023-24: 14-18, 8-12 Pac-12 (9th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2022-23: 14-19, 7-13 Pac-12 (10th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2021-22: 16-16, 8-12 Pac-12 (9th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2020-21: 14-13, 10-10 Pac-12 (6th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2019-20: 20-12, 9-9 Pac-12 (7th), COVID (Jerod Haase)
2018-19: 15-16, 8-10 Pac-12 (8th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2017-18: 19-16, 11-7 Pac-12 (3rd), NIT Sweet 16 (Jerod Haase)
2016-17: 14-17, 6-12 Pac-12 (9th), no postseason (Jerod Haase)
2015-16: 15-15, 8-10 Pac-12 (9th), no postseason (Johnny Dawkins)
2014-15: 24-13, 9-9 Pac-12 (5th), NIT champion (Johnny Dawkins)

*—conference champion

NOTE: In the coming weeks and months, please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2024-25 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 18 Atlantic Coast Conference programs. The items below will become “live links” as new articles are posted.

Appalachian State Mountaineers, Sun Belt Conference

Boston College Eagles, Atlantic Coast Conference

California Golden Bears, Atlantic Coast Conference

Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association

Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference

Clemson Tigers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Davidson Wildcats, Atlantic-10 Conference

Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference

East Carolina Pirates, American Athletic Conference

Elon Phoenix, Coastal Athletic Association

Florida State Seminoles, Atlantic Coast Conference

Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, Big South Conference

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Atlantic Coast Conference

High Point Panthers, Big South Conference

Louisville Cardinals, Atlantic Coast Conference

Miami Hurricanes, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina Tar Heels, Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina A&T Aggies, Coastal Athletic Association

North Carolina Central Eagles, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

North Carolina State Wolfpack, Atlantic Coast Conference

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Atlantic Coast Conference

Pitt Panthers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Queens Royals, Atlantic Sun Conference

SMU Mustangs, Atlantic Coast Conference

Stanford Cardinal, Atlantic Coast Conference

Syracuse Orange, Atlantic Coast Conference

UNC Asheville Bulldogs, Big South Conference

UNC Greensboro Spartans, Southern Conference

UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Coastal Athletic Association

Virginia Cavaliers, Atlantic Coast Conference

Virginia Tech Hokies, Atlantic Coast Conference

Wake Forest, Atlantic Coast Conference

Western Carolina Catamounts, Southern Conference