STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men's Basketball Jerod Haase announced the signings of three prep standouts to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
Max Murrell (Omaha, Nebraska), Noah Taitz (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Brandon Angel (San Diego, California) will join the Cardinal for the 2020-21 campaign.
Stanford's three-member class is ranked No. 19 in the nation and second in the Pac-12 by 247Sports. The highly-touted recruiting classes have become a fixture during Haase's tenure, with this year's group comprising the third top-25 class since the fourth-year head coach arrived on The Farm in 2016.
"With Max, Noah, and Brandon, we have identified three young men that fit our core values perfectly and chase excellence in all they do," said Haase. "They are all scholar athletes who are competitors on and off the court. They all can defend multiple positions, score in various ways and have a competitive spirit that we love. I whole-heartedly believe they will have a huge impact on the future of our program, and we cannot wait to get them to The Farm."
Max Murrell
6-9 • Omaha, Neb. • Millard North High SchoolMurrell is a four-star recruit who ranks as the No. 14 power forward in the country while checking in as the No. 79 overall prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports. A dynamic athlete, Murrell is a left-handed shooter who moves well laterally and excels at facing up and driving.
As a junior, Murrell averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks while shooting 64.0 percent from the floor.
Murrell's AAU experience includes playing for Team Factory out of Omaha, Nebraska, on the Under Armour Circuit.
Murrell selected Stanford over Creighton, Iowa, Minnesota and TCU.
"Max is an exceptional athlete who brings us incredible versatility to the frontcourt," said Haase. "Standing 6-9, he has the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor defensively and has the potential to be an elite rim protector. Offensively, he can stretch a defense with his shooting, attack off the bounce or be a low post threat. As Max continues to get stronger and develop physically, we believe he will have a great impact on our team. Max is a high character, intelligent young man who fits our vision on and off the court."
Noah Taitz
6-3 • Las Vegas, Nev. • Bishop Gorman High SchoolTaitz is a four-star recruit who ranks as the No. 19 shooting guard in the nation and the No. 92 prospect overall, according to ESPN.com. Hailing from the same high school that produced former Cardinal standout Rosco Allen (2012-16), Taitz is a gifted shooter and tireless competitor. Versatile enough to play both guard positions, Taitz is also a stellar athlete.
As a junior, Taitz averaged 16.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 45.0 percent from three-point range and 80.0 percent from the foul line. A three-time state champion, Taitz guided Bishop Gorman High School to a 28-5 record and an appearance in the GEICO Nationals. Against Coronado High School in the Desert Regional playoffs, Taitz knocked down the game-tying three-pointer and eventual game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.
Taitz averaged 15.8 points and 3.6 assists at the Peach Jam this summer while competing with Vegas Elite.
Taitz chose Stanford over Saint Mary's, San Diego State, USC and Washington.
"Noah is an athletic combo guard who can play multiple positions in the backcourt," said Haase. "He is an excellent shooter who has an incredible ability to perform at his best in the biggest games on the biggest stages. He comes from a winning program at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he has already won three state championships during his career. Noah is a true competitor who will thrive in our culture."
Brandon Angel
6-7 • San Diego, Calif. • Torrey Pines High SchoolAngel is a three-star recruit who ranks as the No. 34 small forward in the country and No. 181 overall prospect in the country, according to 247Sports. An elite shooter with strong passing skills, Angel stands out as a versatile forward who can play multiple positions.
As a junior, Angel averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range. Angel guided Torrey Pines High School to a CIF Open Division championship in 2019.
Angel spent this past summer competing for the Gamepoint AAU program, shooting 55.9 percent from long distance and 77.3 percent from two-point range in the Adidas Summer Championships.
Angel chose Stanford over California and Wisconsin.
"We feel that Brandon is one of the elite shooters in the country and at 6-7, has great size to shoot over defenses," said Haase. Brandon has worked extremely hard and really improved over the past year. He has the unique ability to make shots from deep off the catch, off the move and off the bounce. Brandon has a very high basketball IQ and is an excellent passer for someone his size. He has been part of three straight league championships at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, and we are so excited for his winning traits to join our culture."