By King Jemison on November 2, 2017

In a Nutshell:

Last year, Stanford leaned heavily on the frontcourt for offensive production, and though the offense will look different this year, the forwards and centers will still be a critical part of Stanford’s game plan on both ends of the court. The Cardinal return preseason All-Pac-12 first team selection Reid Travis and a host of other veteran contributors, while also introducing a talented group of newcomers.

Travis, a senior power forward, led the team in nine statistical categories last year, including scoring and rebounding. He averaged 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, making him the leading returner in the Pac-12 for both categories. The other starter in the frontcourt will be senior center Michael Humphrey, who was third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding last year, averaging 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Both Travis and Humphrey have been named to the preseason watch lists for the top player at their position in all of college basketball.

“We’re excited for him,” Stanford head coach Jerod Haase said about Travis. “He’s getting a lot of preseason accolades, and deservedly so. He’s had a great offseason.”

Another veteran expected to make a significant contribution is 7-foot-0 junior center Josh Sharma, who led the team in blocks last year with 1.1 per game and was fourth in rebounding with 2.9 per game. 6-foot-11 sophomore power forward Trevor Stanback and junior forward Cameron Walker, both role players last year, round out the list of returning frontcourt players.

While the Cardinal will likely look to the veterans for the majority of the frontcourt production, the newcomers from coach Jerod Haase’s highly touted recruiting classes should have a chance to crack the rotation in year one. Top-30 national recruit Kezie Okpala, German four-star prospect Oscar da Silva and last year’s Top-100 prospect Kodye Pugh all have the potential to make a big impact right out of the gate.

“I think all the freshmen are doing a great job right now,” Sharma said of the new guys. “They’re much more comfortable than I was my freshman year.”

Stanford’s offense last year focused on playing inside-out, feeding the ball into the forwards and centers and allowing them to score in the post or pass it back out for an open shot on the perimeter. This year, Haase is looking to pick up the pace offensively and run more of a motion attack.

“It’s gonna be a lot of moving,” Travis said of the new-look offense. “You’re gonna see a lot of guys on the perimeter.”

For the forwards, this will mean handling the ball farther from the basket and potentially having the chance to launch some three-pointers over the course of the season. But no matter where they set up in the offense, one of the main focuses for Stanford’s frontcourt this season will be rebounding. Last year, the Cardinal struggled on the boards, ranking 251st in the nation.

“That’s been a big point of emphasis this offseason,” Travis said of the rebounding woes. “If we bring the effort, we’re gonna definitely get more of those rebounds.”

Overall, the Stanford frontcourt will be asked to do a lot on both ends of the court this season, but they should be more than up to the task with Travis and Humphrey leading the way. The Cardinal are also blessed with depth at both forward and center thanks to the infusion of new talent. This combination of veteran star-power and young depth should give Stanford the chance to have one of the best frontcourts in the Pac-12.

Who’s returning?

Reid Travis (power forward): A preseason All-American, Travis will be expected to carry a large share of the offensive burden this year, but that’s nothing new for the senior out of Minneapolis. At 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, he has learned to use his body to collect rebounds and score inside. This season, he expects to shoot more threes and become more of a passer. His main goal for the season is to “continue to be a leader on this team. There’s no individual accolades I’m chasing, but I just want to keep getting better each week.” His teammates are a little less reserved in their praise of him. When asked about his frontcourt running mate, Sharma said, “Obviously, he’s a force. This year he’s been more of a perimeter guy for us, and he just sucks defenses in.” Coach Haase agrees. He said, “Offensively, he can do some things that there aren’t a lot of college basketball players that can do. Hopefully that’ll show this year.” If it does, opposing defenses are in for some long nights chasing this potential Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate.

Michael Humphrey (center) : A consistent starter the last two years, Humphrey’s solid post play and versatility have been rewarded with his addition to the preseason watchlist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award given to the best college center. The 6-foot-9 senior from Phoenix is a great rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass, and an opportunistic scorer with a career high of 27 points against UCLA last year. With the new offensive approach, Humphrey said he feels more comfortable: “I’m a better player when I’m moving around, and the ball’s moving around. I’ll play on the perimeter and be able to shoot a little bit. I’m excited.”

Josh Sharma (center) : As a sophomore, Sharma played in all 31 games last year. He led the team with 34 blocks, putting him in the top ten in the Pac-12 for conference play. This offseason, he’s been working on getting his offensive game to the same level as his defense, and he feels it will show on the court. He said, “This year, I’ve just gotten more confident in myself, which will definitely help me on the offensive end. I’m already pretty confident in my defense and shot-blocking ability.” A top-100 recruit out of high school in Lexington, Massachusetts, he is the only seven-footer on the team.

Cameron Walker (forward): A 6-foot-7 junior who has appeared in 39 games total in his Stanford career, Walker is a versatile player who can operate at both guard and forward. Also a top-100 recruit out of Santa Maria, California, he could see his role grow this season.

Trevor Stanback (power forward): As a freshman, Stanback saw the court in 16 games and totaled 16 points. At 6-foot-11, he is the second tallest player on the team. He was a top-100 recruit out of Pasadena, California.

Newcomers to watch for:

Oscar da Silva (forward): Seen as one of the top German prospects last year, da Silva was a key part of Haase’s national top-15 recruiting class. He is a versatile player with guard skills in a forward’s 6-9 body. He has competed regularly on Germany’s youth national teams. Despite the logjam in the frontcourt, his talent should earn him minutes right away. Sharma said he is impressed with the freshman’s progress. “He’s been playing a stretch-four for us right now, similar to Reid’s position. He’s been doing really good. He’s very comfortable handling the ball, driving and finding open guys.”

Kezie Okpala (forward): A top-30 national recruit, Okpala actually started high school under 6-foot-0 before springing to his current 6-foot-8 frame. He averaged 30 points and 11 rebounds per contest as a high school senior in Los Angeles. His game had the recruiting experts raving, and they say the freshman is just now realizing his incredible talent. If he’s healthy, he has the chance to be a major contributor for the Cardinal this season, thanks to his athleticism and diverse skill set.

Kodye Pugh (forward): After redshirting last year, the 6-foot-8 forward is ready to see his first action this season. He was a top-100 recruit coming out of high school in Baltimore. Also a stretch player who has the potential to handle the ball on the perimeter as well as battle inside, Pugh may see his minutes suffer as a result of the great depth, but he has the game to make an impact.

Key departures:

Grant Verhoeven (center) : A five-year player for the Cardinal, the 6-foot-9 center played in 117 total games in his career, starting 24. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his last season. He provided quality play on both ends of the court and once drew five charges in one game against Seton Hall. His career high of 13 points came in a win over No. 11 Oregon. Stanford will miss his experience at center, but Humphrey and Sharma should be able to pick up the slack.

Contact King Jemison at kingj ‘at’ stanford.edu.