Can Stanford's Maxime Raynaud be a First Round Pick in the NBA Draft?

Maxime Raynaud is having a season for the ages for Stanford men's basketball. Averaging over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, Raynaud leads the ACC in scoring and has recorded 20 double doubles this season so far, which leads the entire nation.

But is the season that Raynaud is putting together going to warrant him first round pick consideration for the upcoming NBA Draft?

Winning the Most Improved Player Award for the Pac-12 last season after averaging over 15.5 points per game, up from 8.8 as a sophomore, Raynaud came into this season with lofty expectations for himself, initially entering the transfer portal before new head coach, Kyle Smith, convinced him to stay. Returning as the expected star player for the program, Raynaud's play this season is a big reason why the Cardinal have a legit shot of snapping a decade long NCAA tournament drought.

Coming into the season, Raynaud was considered a marginal NBA Draft prospect, with some analysts ranking him as a second round pick (even receiving a few undrafted grades). But this season has helped him raise his draft stock considerably, going from being the top player on only Stanford to being one of the top players in all of college basketball.

Training over the summer with the France National Team ahead of their 2024 Paris Olympics run, Raynaud was working with players such as Victor Wembanyama, Nicholas Batum, and Rudy Gobert, which could be a major factor in his rapid development.

Raynaud has proven all season long that he can play well against any team, with the ACC being a prime test for that notion. In games against teams such as North Carolina, Miami, Syracuse and NC State, programs that have all experienced major success in recent years, Raynaud scored well over 20 points and had double doubles in each of those matchups.

Those are all tough opponents, and considering this is Raynaud's first season ever in the ACC, it says a lot that he has had his best season while being in a new conference for the first time.

The Cardinal also did a good job of acquiring Raynaud some help, with former Duke guard Jaylen Blakes transferring to Stanford this year and putting together his best season, but Raynaud still doing what he is doing even with the new-look roster proves just how good he is.

In the NBA, there will be multiple teams that could be in the market for a big man, with the Los Angeles Lakers one of the most prominent examples. Trading star center Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in a stunning trade, the franchise is now left without a true difference maker in the middle.

Raynaud's defensive prowess and his scoring ability could make him the ideal fit for a team like that. The Lakers are just one example, and they could end up turning elsewhere while they are in win-now mode. Regardless, Raynaud will have multiple options as to where interest in him could arise.

No matter where Raynaud gets drafted, he could very well be an impactful NBA player from the start, and with what he has shown this season, it may not be a total surprise to see Raynaud's name called in the first round among a plethora of other up-and-coming stars.