STANFORD, Calif. – Adding five highly-sought after players to a team on the rise, Stanford men's basketball has signed Ziaire Williams, Noah Taitz, Max Murrell, Brandon Angel and Michael O'Connell to letters of intent for the 2020 campaign. Stanford's recruiting class is ranked No. 10 nationally per 247Sports and ESPN, and No. 11 by Rivals, while all three platforms praise the Cardinal as a top-two class in the Pac-12. ESPN ranks Stanford as the No. 1 recruiting class in the conference.
"I am ecstatic about the direction of the program, and can't wait to get back onto the court with this group," said Jerod Haase, Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men's Basketball. "There is certainly reason for optimism surrounding the program, and we are looking to build on this. The exciting part is this group understands that we will have to earn everything this year and beyond to achieve our dreams and goals."
A versatile, three-level scorer and defender from Lancaster, California, Williams is the top small forward prospect in the class of 2020. He chose the Cardinal over USC, Arizona, North Carolina and UCLA, and the composite top-five recruit is the top rated prospect to choose Stanford since the recruiting databases at 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN began, and is the first consensus five star addition since Brook and Robin Lopez in 2006.
Hailing from Las Vegas, Taitz is a four-star recruit who ranks as the No. 20 shooting guard in the nation and the No. 93 prospect overall, according to ESPN. Hailing from the same high school that produced former Cardinal standout Rosco Allen (2012-16), Taitz is a gifted shooter and tireless competitor who can play both guard positions. Taitz chose Stanford over Saint Mary's, San Diego State, USC and Washington.
Murrell is a four-star recruit from Omaha, Nebraska who ranks as the No. 16 power forward in the country while checking in as the No. 85 overall prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports. A dynamic athlete and shot blocker, Murrell is a left-handed shooter who moves well laterally and excels at facing up and driving. Murrell selected Stanford over Creighton, Iowa, Minnesota and TCU.
Stanford's fourth player ranked as a four-star recruit, or higher, by at least one publication, Angel was ranked four stars by 247Sports as the No. 26 small forward in the country and No. 126 overall prospect in the country. An elite shooter with strong passing skills, Angel stands out as a versatile forward who can play multiple positions. An in-state recruit from San Diego, he picked Stanford over California and Wisconsin.
O'Connell joined as the fifth member of Stanford's class, earning a four-star, top-100 national rating from 247Sports. The point guard averaged 18 points, five rebounds and five assists per game as a senior for Blair Academy, where he was a first team all-state and all-league selection and led the team to the 2019-20 MAPL Championship. He was also a standout on the lacrosse field, where he was a three-time Under Armour All-American midfielder, and Inside Lacrosse's No. 81 recruit in the country. He is the first prospect since recruiting rankings began to be a top-100 prospect in both basketball (247Sports) and lacrosse (Inside Lacrosse).
Stanford finished 20-12 overall this season, and remained solidly in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth throughout a season shortened by the COVID-19 global pandemic.