Stanford hires Kyle Smith as their new head men’s basketball coach
On Monday, March 25th, Stanford officially hired Kyle Smith as their new head men’s basketball coach after relieving Jerod Haase of his duties after the Pac-12 tournament. Smith will formally address the media on Wednesday, March 27th at 1:00 PM PT.
Smith most recently coached at Washington State, guiding the Cougars to a 25-10 overall record, a 14-6 record in the Pac-12, and a trip to the NCAA tournament in which they earned a No. 7 seed. The Cougars defeated No. 10 Drake in the first round of the tournament by a final score of 66-61 before falling to No. 2 Iowa State in the second round by a final score of 67-56. Smith was named the 2024 John R. Wooden Pac-12 Coach of the Year as a result of the success the Cougars had this season.
“I am extremely pleased to welcome Kyle and his family to Stanford,” Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir said in the team release. “Kyle has an impressive track record of improving results in the programs he has led, and we heard consistently throughout our search process that he leads with great character and integrity. I look forward to working alongside Kyle and I am excited for Cardinal student-athletes to experience his passionate leadership.”
One of the reasons that Smith got the job and why he was atop my hot board throughout the entire process is the fact that he has won every where he’s gone. He had success as the head coach at Columbia and San Francisco prior to Washington State. At Columbia, he posted a record of 101-82, guiding the Lions to a 25-10 overall record in his final season. At San Francisco, he posted a record of 63-40, guiding the Dons to three straight 20+ win seasons during three seasons with them. He knows how to win in the Bay Area and he knows how to win at a high academic school. He even calls his style of play “Nerd Ball”. Taking “Nerd Ball” to “Nerd Nation” sure sounds like a good fit.
“The opportunity to serve as the head men’s basketball coach at Stanford is a dream come true, and I want to thank Bernard Muir for entrusting me with this opportunity,” Smith said in the release. “From my perspective, Stanford has the resources and reputation to attract the ideal student-athlete who is seeking the character development aspects of what our basketball program will offer. Stanford has the capacity to provide a place where student-athletes can hone their leadership skills and intellect through hard work and team building. I am thrilled to try to provide that type of culture for an institution that prides itself on excellence in all areas.”
While Smith checks off a lot of the boxes that Stanford is looking for in a head men’s basketball coach and has shown he can win in tough environments, the success Stanford and Smith hope to have may not happen overnight. They’re going to have to be patient with him and give him the time he needs to find success. Given that they gave Jerod Haase eight years without making one NCAA tournament, odds are good they’ll give him that patience. But still, it needs to be underscored that patience is going to be key. He’s got a lot to get used to: Joining the ACC, NIL, admissions, and other unique challenges that come with Stanford.
Ultimately, if Stanford is patient with Kyle Smith and give him the resources he needs to be successful, I like their chances of getting back to the NCAA tournament and becoming a competitive program again. Smith’s resume speaks for itself and the job he did at Washington State this past season was pretty amazing. It’ll be fun to see what Smith brings to The Farm in year one and also how he goes about shaping his coaching staff and instilling his philosophy.
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