Stanford Emerges Among Finalists For NC State Transfer Guard

Stanford men's basketball is ready to attack the offseason. With the transfer portal open, the Cardinal will do their due diligence, hoping that they can find the necessary pieces to get them one step closer towards reaching their goal of making the NCAA tournament for the 2026-27 campaign.

While the Cardinal have not landed anyone yet, they are in the mix for some big time prospects, with the most notable being former NC State guard, Matt Able.

Able, a four-star recruit coming out of high school, entered the portal after averaging 8.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in his freshman season for the Wolf Pack. Committing to play for NC State over offers from several big schools such as Alabama, Baylor, Michigan, Texas and Tennessee, the departure of head coach Will Wade for the LSU job left the program in flux.

Now, Able will go somewhere with stability, and possibly a bigger opportunity for exposure, in the hopes of breaking out as a sophomore.

Able's fit with Stanford

The Cardinal are one of seven teams still in the mix, along with Baylor, North Carolina, UCLA, Miami, Virginia and UConn. Visiting UCLA earlier this week, Able appears to be moving fast with this process and should make a decision fairly soon. The Cardinal may be a long shot given their lack of recent tournament success, but landing a guy like Able would be monumental.

A former top-20 recruit, Able is a big name in the portal, and if Stanford can win the bid for his services, it would say a lot about how the program is viewed across the country while being led by third year head coach, Kyle Smith.

Set to lose standout freshman Ebuka Okorie to the NBA draft, Able would provide a top-tier replacement who can slide in and play right away. And in Smith's scheme, the guards get plenty of room to operate and shine, whether it was Okorie this past season, or Jaylen Blakes the year before.

The Cardinal also are in desperate need of guards in general, also losing Ryan Agarwal and Jeremy Dent-Smith to the transfer portal while standout shooter, Benny Gealer, is set for graduation. Stanford lacks experience at the guard spot right now, with the remaining players at the position having minimal experience in high leverage minutes.

Playing in 34 games and averaging over 20 minutes per contest, Able got a lot of experience in big moments this season, and having a year of experience in college under his belt, his addition to the Cardinal would help in that department, if he chooses to commit to Stanford.

The offseason is long, with moves made all offseason and high school recruits still committing to schools. But for a program like Stanford to re-emerge as a threat, getting a head start on acquiring players is vital for the program, ensuring that they are first to the party when it comes to trying to sign a big name player.

For more comprehensive Stanford coverage, follow us on X, @StanfordOnSI or head on over to our Facebook page and give it a like!

Add us as a preferred source on Google