Stanford named a finalist for Villanova transfer TJ Bamba
Kyle Smith's ties at Washington State have already helped Stanford add two recruits to their 2024 recruiting class, and now it may help them land one of the best players in the transfer portal.
According to a report by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the Cardinal were among the six finalists for Villanova transfer TJ Bamba. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard who actually started his career at Washington State is heading into his fifth season, and trimmed his list down to Kentucky, Louisville, Florida, Memphis, Oregon, and Stanford.
Mar 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard TJ Bamba (0) shoots against
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
He steadily improved every year under Smith, going from averaging 4.2 points per game his freshman season, to 7.7 points per game the next, and 15.8 points per game his junior year. In his lone year at Villanova, he saw a decline in his numbers, averaging just 10 points per game while grabbing 3.6 rebounds and dishing out nearly two assists per game.
If the Cardinal are able to land Bamba, he would provide some much needed experince to a team that is currently rebuilding its entire starting unit and rotation in general. As it stands right now, Maxime Raynaud is the lone starter that will be returning, and reserve guard Benny Gealer is the only other player that played significant minutes to return.
