Pac-12 Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season
team. 517. . . . Cardinal . 5
Because of their lofty academic standards, Stanford isn’t going to be in play for many transfers from the portal. And they also can’t afford to lose many key guys, such as starting forward Jaiden Delaire, who ended up at San Diego. The good news is that they were able to find a player that fits both the school and the team in Michael Jones, a 6’5 senior guard that averaged 11.8 ppg and shot 42% from three-point range.
The Cardinal also returns last year’s leading scorer in Spencer Jones (12.0 ppg), along with another starting forward James Keefe, and 6th Man Brandon Angel. But the key to the team is Harrison Ingram, who was second on the team with 10.5 ppg as a freshman.
He was the Pac-12 Rookie of the Year but had plenty of ups and downs, shooting just 39% from the field and having as many 15+ point games as 6 or fewer last season. If the former five-star prospect can improve his consistency and become a true star as a sophomore, the team can take a leap.
The point guard position is also one to watch, as Michael O’Connell led the team with 3.6 apg but was a poor shooter, while former top-100 prospect, Isa Silva, averaged just 3.5 ppg on 13 mpg. Stanford will need improvement from them, along with the frontcourt in order to be a genuine NCAA Tournament contender.