Maxime Raynaud’s return to Stanford has meant so much to him and the program
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Maxime Raynaud sprinted across the court and in practically no time had triumphantly picked up a 6-year-old boy named Henry and heaved the young fan onto his shoulders before running through Maples Pavilion with an arm in the air and mouth agape.
Equally startled and overjoyed, the first-grader suddenly had an even better view of Stanford’s celebration alongside the 7-foot-1 Raynaud and his teammates after the Cardinal held off N.C. State for a 74-73 win on Feb. 8.
Henry brought quite the story back to school that Monday, too.
“I’ll tell them I’m famous, and I went to a Stanford game, a basketball game in college and my favorite player at Stanford, I got to meet him and he scooped me up and we won and he put me on his shoulders,” the boy said. “I thought it was kind of fun. I thought he was going to make me high-five the other team.”
A lifetime memory, for sure.
And to think that Raynaud might have walked away from Stanford and started fresh somewhere else for his senior season. He seriously considered it. The French star had entered his name in the transfer portal once former coach Jerod Haase was dismissed last spring and athletic director Bernard Muir hired Kyle Smith away from Washington State to be the Cardinal’s new coach.
“When one coaching staff is on the go and then another one is here, there’s this period of about a month where you don’t have anyone to talk to, anyone to turn to,” Raynaud said.
He thought about it for a while. He chatted with Smith, sat in on team gatherings to learn more about the program’s direction and values, then ultimately changed his mind and stayed put. Raynaud is so glad he did, and so are his happy teammates and coaches.
The honest communication is really all Raynaud needed to make up his mind.
“Maxime returning to Stanford has been incredible for college basketball, Stanford, himself and me. He has made my life easy with his leadership through this coaching transition,” Smith said. “He has helped establish a culture that will thrive beyond his time here. He is a four-year player who leaves an incredible legacy, and his contributions in the community, classroom as well as on the court will be remembered by Stanford forever.”
Projected as a potential first-round NBA draft pick, Raynaud is averaging 20.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 blocks and a steal per game heading into his final scheduled home game at Maples Pavilion — Senior Day against SMU on Saturday.
It took time to find his way at Stanford in a new country and with the language barrier — but all of that seems so long ago now. The Cardinal are in their first season of conference realignment and part of the Atlantic Coast Conference, so everything feels different.
“I’m having a blast this year. I couldn’t happier to play basketball with the guys that we have around right now,” Raynaud said. “Going to the ACC makes me feel like a freshman again just because new schools, new travel, everything. It’s a really nice experience, I really enjoy it.”
The fans are loving watching Raynaud, who has certainly put himself on the map with a stellar senior season.
“Let’s go Maxime!”
“I love you Maxime!”
“MVP! MVP!”
The lanky forward hears the constant cheers and support from the student section and others at Maples Pavilion, and it means so much.
And even with his initial trepidation about the coaching change, Raynaud has realized this has always been the perfect program for him.
“It’s been super special just because of the guys that make the program, whether it’s the coaching staff or the players,” he said. “I really believe we’re in a special place, but the people make the place. I couldn’t be more grateful to play with guys like this. … I think it’s the best place for me to perform, have fun and enjoy my last year of college. I couldn’t be happier to come back here.”
With his spirit and energy, Raynaud is leaving his mark on so many.
And Henry’s father, Tommy Latala, knows he and his son will long cherish and remember Raynaud lifting the boy up and running him around the arena.
“This,” Latala said, “is going to be tough to top.”
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
