Former Duke Guard Continues to be a Superstar for Stanford Basketball

Blakes has already scored more this season than he ever has during his time at Duke.
Jan 11, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Jaylen Blakes (21) shoots a three point basket over Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Jan 11, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Jaylen Blakes (21) shoots a three point basket over Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) in the second half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

If you hadn't heard of Jaylen Blakes before this season, that is because he spent his previous three seasons of college basketball buried on the depth chart at Duke, getting very limited action and opportunities to showcase his talents.

With one final season of eligibility left and eager to make a name for himself, Blakes opted to enter the transfer portal and wound up signing with Stanford, a program that was in dire need of a boost.

And since his arrival at Stanford, Blakes has been a bonafide star. Currently averaging career highs of 14.5 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds, Blakes has started all 17 games for the Cardinal thus far and has formed a dominant duo with Maxime Raynaud.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, Blakes is versatile and can play both guard positions while excelling on the defensive side of the floor.

In the Cardinal's most recent game against Wake Forest, Blakes scored in double figures for the third consecutive time, dropping 15 points in 34 minutes, while also grabbing seven rebounds. It was a fast start for him and Stanford (11-6, 3-3 ACC), with him scoring 13 of his 15 points in the first half en route to the Cardinal being up 35-33 at the break.

The rest of the game saw Stanford fall behind, with Wake Forest ending the game on a 6-0 run to secure the 80-67 win. In the second half, Blakes was guarded much more heavily, as he only managed to score two points and record one rebound.

But Blakes knows how to be productive no matter what the scenario is, managing to stay effective as a passer throughout the second half, with him being responsible for four second half assists.

Landing Blakes has been a blessing for the Cardinal. Not a very well known name in the transfer portal, Blakes quickly impressed head coach Kyle Smith and the rest of the staff with his work ethic, showing very early on that he was fully invested in whatever the program had to offer.

It also helped that Blakes had prior knowledge and experience as a member of the ACC, with Duke consistently being one of the most prominent teams not only in the conference, but the entire nation.

Stanford has proven to be the perfect fit for Blakes in many ways. Getting the chance to be a marquee player for a Power Four school has allowed him to really shine on the court. But off the court, Blakes is seizing every opportunity as well.

A three year graduate from Duke, earning multiple All-ACC Academic Team selections, Blakes is pursuing a post graduate degree and chose Stanford in large part for its prestigous academics.

The 2024-25 season has certainly seen plenty of trials and tribulations for Stanford, but knowing that it has a guy like Blakes to rely on on the court while also being someone that they can trust to be a role model off of it has the program feeling confident heading into the back half of the season.


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Dylan Grausz
DYLAN GRAUSZ

A lifelong sports fan, Dylan has channeled his passion for sports into the world of reporting, always looking to provide the best possible coverage. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Dylan has since gone on to report on all sports, having gained experience covering primarily football, baseball, basketball, softball and soccer.