How Stanford Landed Jaylen Blakes From Duke

Jason Burke | Oct 13, 2024

Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford player Jaylen Blakes during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 men's basketball season will be the third year in a row that Stanford will have a graduate transfer on their roster. This year that transfer is Jaylen Blakes, formerly of basketball powerhouse Duke. Blakes is a two-time member of the All-ACC Academic Team, taking home the honor the past two seasons.

Blakes played in 31 games last season, starting one, and averaged 9.2 minutes per contest while scoring 1.8 points/game and shooting 40% from the field. The 6-foot-2 guard will now be a member of new head coach Kyle Smith's rotation with the Cardinal.

During ACC media day, coach Smith was asked what the recruiting process was like to land Blakes from Duke.

"Truthfully it was random. Our athletic director's wife, their daughter plays volleyball at Duke. She said Jaylen was a really good guy and he was available. I said, my staff hasn't put me on it, so I took it from there. I have to give full credit to Liz Muir, Bernard Muir's -- I surely did. I took it from there, and he made a lot of sense being a Duke guy, Blair Academy, my kind of guy. When we did our Zoom, just giving our pitch, I could tell I think he kind of would be invested in the way we do things. It's been a great match thus far."

Blakes said that the decision to leave was all about a new opportunity, but that he is truly grateful for the experience he had at Duke while he was there.

Coach Smith, Blakes and the Cardinal will begin their season on November 4 when Denver comes to campus. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. tip-off and will be shown on the ACC Network.