Could Kanaan Carlyle Return to Stanford Basketball?

Feb 10, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Kanaan Carlyle (3) warms up in a shirt commemorating Black History Month before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the USC Trojans at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

What are the chances Stanford could see a familiar face return to Maples Pavilion? Kanaan Carlyle has entered the transfer portal after his sophomore stint in Bloomington, IN.

As a freshman, Carlyle was at Stanford, where he was a star. The freshman put up 11.5 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He started about half of the Cardinal’s games, and was a big piece in Jerod Haase’s last season as head coach. After the season, Carlyle seeked a better opportunity, which he found at Indiana, as the Hoosiers were a preseason Big Ten favorite.

However, Carlyle and Indiana had a very disappointing season, where they missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Carlyle averaged just 4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game with the Hoosiers.

After head coach Mike Woodson was fired, the entire roster entered the transfer portal, putting Indiana in a rough place. They signed Darian DeVries as their head coach, and are now looking to rebuild the program.

Given his success on The Farm, and coach Kyle Smith in need of a star player, a return to Stanford could be in the cards. It's understandable that with a new coach coming in that Carlyle wanted to go for what he viewed as a more sure bet, but after the season that Stanford just had, maybe any doubts have subsided.

The Cardinal are already dealing with the departures of star big man Maxime Raynaud to the NBA Draft, Jaylen Blakes graduating, and Oziyah Sellers landing at St. John's in the transfer portal. If Carlyle were to return, he could be a big piece of the Cardinal team this upcoming season.

If a few other moves go Stanford’s way, he may even be able to be one of the best players on a potential tournament team.

This would surely be an interesting move, and could be another big step forward for the Stanford basketball program as they look to rebuild the roster following some key departures themselves following the 2024-25 campaign.