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Stanford Basketball: Cardinal suffer big blow with Reid Travis transfer

By Tristan Freeman

TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 01: Head coach Jerod Haase of the Stanford Cardinal watches the action during the first half of the college basketball game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on March 1, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 01: Head coach Jerod Haase of the Stanford Cardinal watches the action during the first half of the college basketball game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on March 1, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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Stanford Basketball had a shot at competing in the Pac-12 next season. But with their top player now gone, do the Cardinal even have a shot?

The total record for Stanford Basketball last season was 19-16, but there were still some positives to take away.

Led by Daejon Davis, the team had three freshmen players who finished the season as key contributors for Stanford. They were missing 6’5 guard Marcus Sheffield all season, who was out with an injury.

With those players, along with top-75 recruit Cormac Ryan and the No. 28 recruiting class for 2018 (according to 247sports), the Cardinal were projected to finish in the top-tier of the Pac-12. Considering that there aren’t any heavyweights in the league next season, head coach Jerod Haase could have his breakout year with the program.

Until the deadline passed for players to stay in the 2018 NBA Draft. It wasn’t because Stanford star forward Reid Travis chose to stay, but rather what he did once he withdrew.

He was one of the frontrunners for the 2019 Pac-12 Player of the Year Award, averaging 19.5 ppg and 8.7 rpg this past year. With Reid gone, along with the graduations of both Dorian Pickens and Michael Humphrey, Stanford loses three of the team’s top four scorers – as well as both starting frontcourt players.

With the calendar turning to June, there aren’t many ways to replace this kind of talent, whether via the transfer market or a 2018 high school recruit. It’ll have to come from within, with forwards Kezie Okpala and Oscar Da Silva the likely starters for next season.

Next: 2018-19 Preseason Top 25 After NBA Draft Decisions

Barring an unlikely pickup, the best players for Stanford will all be underclassmen. They’re very talented guys but will go through growing pains throughout the season. In year three of the Haase era, will the school and fans be patient enough for these youngsters to get older? Or will the hot seat for the former UAB Head Coach start to get warm after some losses?

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