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 conduct the Candid Coaches series, surveying over 100 Division I men’s basketball coaches. Among the questions they ask is, "Who was the best high-major coaching hire of 2024?"

In the latest survey, Stanford's Kyle Smith was named the sixth-best hire, trailing behind John Calipari (Arkansas), Dusty May (Michigan), Mark Pope (Kentucky), Pat Kelsey (Louisville), and Kevin Young (BYU). Calipari led the poll with 43.4% of the votes.

Smith, who previously spent five seasons at Washington State, where he compiled a 94-71 record, has also served as head coach at Columbia and San Francisco. Last season, he earned the John R. Wooden Pac-12 Coach of the Year award after guiding Washington State to a 25-10 record and a second-place finish in the conference. The Cougars also won their opening-round game in the NCAA Tournament against Drake.

With Stanford entering a new era of basketball in the Big 12, fans are optimistic about Smith's ability to lead the Cardinal to success.