Stanford's Kyle Smith Voted One of the Best Coaching Hires of 2024

Each year, CBS Sports college basketball insiders Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander survey 100+ Division I men's basketball coaches in the Candid Coaches series . One of the questions asked is, "Who was the best high-major coaching hire of 2024?"

Stanford's Kyle Smith was the sixth-most frequently mentioned name behind John Calipari (Arkansas), Dusty May (Michigan), Mark Pope (Kentucky), Pat Kelsey (Louisville), and Kevin Young (BYU). Calipari dominated the poll with a 43.4% answer rate.

Over five seasons at Washington State, Smith led the Cougars to a 94-71 overall record. He previously spent six seasons as the head coach at Columbia and three at San Francisco.

Last season, Smith was named the John R. Wooden Pac-12 Coach of the Year as he led Washington State to a 25-10 record and a second-place finish in the conference. The Cougars secured an opening-round victory in the NCAA Tournament over Drake.

Stanford fans have high hopes for Smith's ability to lead the team to success as the Cardinal prepares for a new era of basketball in the Big 12.

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