Jerod Haase and the Stanford Cardinal look to turn around their losing ways with a talented roster.
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When the Stanford Cardinal hired Haase in 2016, fans hoped he would be there for a long time. Now, Cardinal fans are shocked he’s still there. Stanford hasn’t made the tournament since he became head coach, and not due to a lack of talent, leading to one clear outlier. It feels like this is his last dance, making every game so important for him and his team.
Stanford didn’t do much in the portal, losing five players and bringing in only one, but they feel that the addition of Jared Bynum and the return of leading scorer Spencer Jones will do the job. They also bring in top 20 recruit Andrej Stojakovic, son of long-time NBA player Peja Stojakovic and someone who can contribute from Day 1.
With Stanford leaving the Pac-12 next, the hope is that they can end on a good note, and they have the roster to potentially do so.
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Head coach: Jerod Haase (12th season, 8th at Stanford)
2022-23 record: 14-19 (7-13)
Notable departures: Harrison Ingram (Transferred to UNC), Michael O’Connell (Transferred to NC State), Isael Silva (Transferred to Long Beach State)
Notable non-conference games: vs. Arkansas (Nov. 22), Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 23-24)
Projected Rotation
PG: Jared Bynum (5-10, 185, Gr.-Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 10.0 PPG, 4.3 APG, 2.4 RPG, 83.1 FT% (Providence)
SG: Michael Jones (6-5, 205, Gr.-Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 9.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 35.1 3P%
SF: Andrej Stojakovic (6-7, 190, Fr.)
247Sports Composite No. 19 rated recruit
PF: Spencer Jones (6-7, 225, Gr.-Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 14.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 38.9 3P%
C: Maxime Reynaud (7-1, 250, Jr.)
2022-23 stats: 8.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 54.0 FG%
6: Brandon Angel (6-8, 235, Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 9.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 51.6 FG%
7: Max Murrell (6-9, 225, Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 4.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 44.7 FG%
8: Kanaan Carlyle (6-3, 185, Fr.)
247Sports Composite No. 59 rated recruit
9: James Keefe (6-9, 240, Gr.-Sr.)
2022-23 stats: 4.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 58.7 FG%
Stanford Cardinal MVP: Spencer Jones
Stanford wins its first game overseas 102-76. 19 for Spencer Jones. 14 for freshman Andrej Stojakovic. 10 assists for Jared Bynum.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 25, 2023
On a team full of lows last year, Jones was one of the bright spots, leading the team in minutes, points, steals, and blocks per game. He looked especially good towards the end of the season when he scored 18 or more points in 4 of the team’s final five games. With Harrison Ingram out of the picture, the team’s second-leading scorer last year, Jones is expected to take another jump for the Cardinal, something he can definitely do.
Another part of Jones’ game that’s dangerous is his three-point shooting. Last year, he averaged 38.9% from deep on just under six threes per game. If he can get that up to 40% this season, that raises Stanford’s ceiling even more.
Stanford Cardinal make-or-break player: Andrej Stojakovic
On paper, this Stanford Cardinal team is probably worse than the one last season, which isn’t great. That could change based on Stojakovic’s freshman performance. Stojakovic is a great scorer and can get hot quickly. At least, that’s what we saw in high school. College is a big step up, and when you’re an 18-year-old playing against 22-23-year-olds, that can be a really difficult transition.
Stanford will need Stojakovic to grow up fast, and if he can do so then the duo of Jones and Stojakovic can be one of the best in the Pac-12. Will he get the start right away? He should, but Haase may opt for the more experienced Brandon Angel. This can really harm his development, and when conference play comes around, he won’t be able to play at the level many hoped, so keep an eye on the rotation Haase decides on.
Key analytic: Offensive Efficiency
Despite ranking 184th in PPG, Stanford ranked 26th in offensive efficiency according to Barttorvik. They don’t score a lot, but they take the right shots. The key is if they can make them. As shown, six of the nine projected rotation are returning, so they understand the offense and when to take the best shot. Jared Bynum has always been an inefficient scorer, so it’ll be interesting to see what his role in the offense is.
The Stanford Cardinal are really banking on their experience. They have six seniors in the rotation and mostly returning players, so if that chemistry and experience isn’t enough, then nothing will be. They are one of the most experienced teams in the country, and that goes far in college basketball, as we’ve seen in March. If it doesn’t work out, expect q new face leading the Cardinal into the ACC in 2024.
Projected conference finish: 7th in the Pac-12
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament – Round of 64