Stanford men’s basketball has spent the offseason trying to stabilize its future after the loss of its brightest young star.
After former freshman guard Ebuka Okorie confirmed he will remain in the NBA draft, the Cardinal has moved swiftly to reinforce the program around head coach Kyle Smith’s long-term vision. Stanford has added size through the transfer portal, strengthened an already highly-touted recruiting class of 2026 and brought back familiar faces to its coaching staff.
Okorie’s decision leaves the Cardinal without the centerpiece of last season’s offense. The 6-foot-2 guard said last week at the NBA draft combine in Chicago that he plans to stay in the draft, putting to rest the possibility of a sophomore season on The Farm.
“I already talked with Kyle Smith and I talked to my agents and my family,” Okorie told ESPN, “I’m staying in the draft.”
Okorie averaged an ACC-best 23.2 points per game last season, helping Stanford finish 20-13 and earn a spot in the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament. Some mock drafts have Okorie finding an NBA home in the second round, while ESPN lists Okorie as a late first-round pick in a mock draft of their own.
Stanford’s first roster response came through the transfer portal with the signing of junior Austin Maurer from Seattle University, The seven-foot center appeared in 35 games last season for the Redhawks, making 25 starts while averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on an efficient 52.2% shooting.
“Austin gives us an experienced big man who is emerging as a floor spacing option,” Smith said. “He is a late bloomer physically who is coming into his own, and he provides a presence on the glass and rim protection as well.”
Smith sees similarities to former Stanford center Curtis Borchardt ‘02 in Maurer. Also standing at seven feet tall, Borchardt was a first round 2002 NBA draft pick.
The Cardinal added some more incoming talent with freshman forward Drew Anderson, a four-star recruit from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game as a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic, leading his school to back-to-back Trinity League titles.
“[Drew] is a forward who will give us an inside/outside scoring threat with the ability to gather rebounds at a high level,” Smith said.
Anderson is now the team’s fifth member of Stanford’s class of 2026, joining guards and wings Aziz Olajuwon (son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon), Isaiah Rogers, Elias Obenyah and Julius Price. Before the addition of Anderson, Stanford’s class was rated No. 12 nationally by 247Sports and No. 16 by ESPN.
The program’s onboarding has extended beyond the roster. Stanford has brought back assistant coach Matt Elkin, who spent the 2024-25 season on Smith’s staff as an assistant recruiting coordinator before leaving for one season at Columbia University.
Stanford men’s basketball also added former guard Jaylen Blakes as director of player personnel. Blakes played his final year of college ball with Stanford during the 2024-25 season, averaging 13.1 points and 4.7 assists as a Cardinal.
While Okorie’s departure remains the defining storyline of Stanford’s offseason, the program’s moves seek to pave a future without the NBA prospect.