After last year’s disappointing season, Stanford basketball enters 2019-20 in rebuilding mode. What should fans look forward to in the upcoming season?
Stanford basketball has gone through somewhat of a roller coaster ride through head coach Jerrod Haase’s first three seasons. With top players transferring or making the jump into the pros in each of the last two offseasons, Haase has not been able to find the stability needed to compete in a high-major conference. This offseason was no different, with standout wing KZ Okpala heading to the NBA, senior big man Josh Sharma graduating, and promising guard Cormac Ryan transferring.
This left gaping holes in the starting lineup with only Daejon Davis and Oscar Da Silva returning as proven scoring options. Bryce Wills seems poised to move up in the pecking order, but the rest of the roster will battle for the remaining two starting spots and minutes in the rotation. This depth will be valuable and should set the Cardinals up well for the 2020-21 season if everyone stays. However, the Cardinal are not thinking about 2020-21 yet, and neither should we.
With regards to this season, the Cardinal do not have a hugely positive outlook, but there should still be some positive signs moving forward. With a handful of athletic freshman entering the fold and very little depth ahead of them, Stanford fans will get an opportunity to see them take on important roles sooner rather than later.
Let’s take a look at how this year’s Cardinal roster will look early on, and what to expect over the course of the season.