Account
5-Star G Kanaan Carlyle Commits to Stanford over Baylor, Florida, Kansas, More
January 5, 2022
The Stanford Cardinal men's basketball team landed a major victory on the recruiting trail Wednesday when guard Kanaan Carlyle announced he was joining its 2023 class:
247Sports @247Sports<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: 2023 5⭐️ combo guard Kanaan Carlyle has committed to <a href="https://twitter.com/StanfordMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StanfordMBB</a> 🔥🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/kanaancarlyle15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kanaancarlyle15</a> is the No. 19 overall player in the 2023 class. <a href="https://t.co/3W2iYc65y5">pic.twitter.com/3W2iYc65y5</a>
Carlyle checks in at 6'1" and 170 pounds and is considered a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is the No. 20 overall player, No. 4 combo guard and No. 2 player from the state of Georgia in the 2023 class.
Stanford had to compete with a number of notable programs to convince the prospect to commit to the Pac-12 school, as Auburn, Baylor, Florida and Kansas were all interested in him at one point during the recruiting process.
It is no surprise so many schools pursued him given his talent level.
Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports projected Carlyle as a future first-round pick and pointed to Davion Mitchell as a player comparison. All Mitchell did was lead Baylor to the national title before the Sacramento Kings selected him with the No 9 overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft.
Carlyle's ability to hit from the outside, attack off the bounce and facilitate for others stands out. He is also lengthy and athletic enough to defend multiple positions and is someone who can make plays in transition.
"What is better than his ability to score is his mindset," Jenkins wrote. "His mentality is elite as he is a tough and fierce competitor who is always in full attack mode. His constant aggression is what makes him positively productive."
The choice of Stanford is certainly notable, as it is not exactly a men's basketball powerhouse of late.
The Cardinal have made the NCAA men's tournament just once since the 2007-08 campaign and may have an uphill battle to do so this season considering they have a loss to Santa Clara during an inconsistent 8-4 start.
They will need to perform well in conference play to make the Big Dance, although having someone like Carlyle will help them reach new heights in the future.