Four-Star Stanford Basketball Commit Talks About His Decision and Future with Program

Just last week, Stanford basketball made an absolute splash in recruiting when they received commitments from a pair players in the class of ‘26, Elias Obenyah and Aziz Olajuwon. It was a perfect momentum builder for the current players on the roster as they enter the 2025 season, and it also established head coach Kyle Smith as a truly elite west coast recruiter.

Just after his commitment to the Cardinal, Stanford on SI spoke with Obenyah, covering topics such as the recruiting process, future goals, and even other sports on The Farm. First we asked about why he chose Stanford, and what the role of coach Smith was in the recruiting process.

“All the coaches that took the time out to reach out were very honest and interested in my development,” Obenyah said, “I trust that they have invested in my growth as a student and basketball player.”

In year one, coach Smith took Stanford from a struggling program to much more successful, getting them above 20 wins for the first time since 2014-15. They had their best season in years, going 21-14, and were one of the best teams in the ACC. His impact was off the charts, as he produced an NBA player from the roster (Maxime Raynaud) while also keeping tons of continuity.

Now, he’s just as dominant in the recruiting process.

“Coach Smith was involved early on in my recruitment. Periodically he texted me to check in. Coach Smith made it clear that Stanford wants me and has a plan for me, and what I enjoy about coach Smith is that he is a very genuine and straightforward person.

"I also like Coach’s 'Nerdball' philosophy, his use of analytics and data to track and evaluate player performance and to provide feedback to players.”

Obenyah took his official visit in early September, just a week before his September 22 commitment to Stanford.

“During the visit we had breakfast with the coaches, then we got to watch practice which personally was one of my favorite parts. We spoke to the academic advisory, had lunch, toured campus, took pictures, toured a bit more, then we were able to spend time with the team during dinner. Overall a great visit.”

It seems like Obenyah loved the campus at first sight, and is excited for the future at Stanford. But even outside of basketball, Obenyah is pumped to watch some other sports on the farm.

“Besides basketball I’m actually excited to watch some water sports, and then, of course, things like soccer and football.”

At Salesian Prep in Richmond, CA, Obenyah has had tons of success, leading a Bay Area powerhouse and even winning a NorCal Open Division championship. But how can he turn that into winning for a different NorCal team in Stanford?

“One of the things that work for us at Salesian is the team first concept. I would like to contribute my part in enhancing that culture here at Stanford. Another thing is the defensive mindset, with an intense defense we always put ourselves in position to win games. My goal is multiple appearances at the NCAA tournament.”

Obenyah is the perfect player for Stanford. His winning mentality, respect for the staff, and high hopes put the Salesian star much closer to becoming a Stanford star, starting in 2026.