Stanford's Kyle Smith graded as one of the best hires of the college basketball coaching carousel

Kevin Borba | Apr 5, 2024

Mar 21, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Kyle Smith reacts in the second / Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

At the conclusion of their season, which marked an eighth year under Jerod Haase without an NCAA Tournament appearance, the Stanford Cardinal fired the head coach.

They didn't wait long either as the announcement was made minutes after their loss to Washington State in the Pac-12 Tournament. This allowed them some time to set their sights on some candidates, and one of the names that emerged right away was actually Washington State's Kyle Smith. He ended the Cougars decade-long NCAA Tournament drought, and was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year this season.

After the Cougars' second-ross loss to Iowa State, Smith accepted the Stanford job, and while he has a tough roster rebuild ahead of him with nine players currently expected to depart he is still viewed as one of the best hires thus far.

Mar 21, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Kyle Smith celebrates after / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

On3's James Fletcher III graded every hire of the offseason, and while grades like these typically won't get you into Stanford, Smith's "B+" grade was tied for the second-highest grade. West Virginia's hiring of Darian DeVries, USC's hiring of Eric Musselman, and Michigan's hiring of Dusty May all received an "A".

When it came to Smith, Fletcher revealed that Smith's prior experience at Columbia is something that should help him deal with the academic restrictions.

"Stanford heads to the ACC with a new head coach who overachieved at San Francisco and Washington State. Kyle Smith also brings East Coast experience from his time at Columbia, where he overcame many of the challenges he inherits again.

"Academic restrictions are a roadblock for Stanford, making the transfer portal a difficult resource to maximize. Smith’s experience in the Ivy League could prove valuable in navigating it," wrote Fletcher.

Smith has yet to make a roster addition, but there is a growing confidence that he will convince the team's leading scorer and No. 1 ranked transfer, Maxime Raynaud, to return to Palo Alto.