[Goose]

Yes, this is certainly true...but if you like the team and the program (and the money), players can work out their class schedule to graduate after Winter Quarter of their fourth year. I do not think that all three of our grad transfers were absolutely planning on graduating this spring. I suspect that they made their final decision after the season started. 

Yes, "liking the team" and liking the money is pretty much a prerequisite to someone deciding to stay. IMO playing on a team that was not living up to expectations this year and probably next year is going to create a lot of tensions. Paye (and Tara for that matter) strike me as being "serious" coaches who may not be all that fun to be around when things are not going well. However, for the right money, that may not matter. What definitely does matter, and in most cases decisive is how remaining at Stanford fits into the player's future goals.
 
Staying around just because you "like" your situation is for most people a non-starter. You came to Stanford to get a degree, experience college life, play basketball, and get paid (to the extent possible). You have done those things.  After being at Stanford for 3 years, there is a large "Been there, done that" factor. What is to be gained by staying? Going someplace else that may fit your future goals better can be very attractive.
 
If you are paid "enough", it makes sense to stay. If there are basketball goals that you can clearly best reach by staying another year, it may make sense to stay. If there are specific academic goals that you can best attain by staying at Stanford, it makes sense to stay.  Otherwise, it doesn't and you are best served by getting on with your life. This is especially true when you can be compensated well at your new school and can pursue an additional degree.  It is also quite possible the new alternative may actually be socially more attractive (or at least different) than staying at Stanford. IMO for these reasons the vast majority of athletes who can graduate in 3 years will do so. In most cases, the "special" conditions that might keep them at Stanford don't exist.

[Goose]

Yes, this is certainly true...but if you like the team and the program (and the money), players can work out their class schedule to graduate after Winter Quarter of their fourth year. I do not think that all three of our grad transfers were absolutely planning on graduating this spring. I suspect that they made their final decision after the season started. 

Yes, "liking the team" and liking the money is pretty much a prerequisite to someone deciding to stay. IMO playing on a team that was not living up to expectations this year and probably next year is going to create a lot of tensions. Paye (and Tara for that matter) strike me as being "serious" coaches who may not be all that fun to be around when things are not going well. However, for the right money, that may not matter. What definitely does matter, and in most cases decisive is how remaining at Stanford fits into the player's future goals.
 
Staying around just because you "like" your situation is for most people a non-starter. You came to Stanford to get a degree, experience college life, play basketball, and get paid (to the extent possible). You have done those things.  After being at Stanford for 3 years, there is a large "Been there, done that" factor. What is to be gained by staying? Going someplace else that may fit your future goals better can be very attractive.
 
If you are paid "enough", it makes sense to stay. If there are basketball goals that you can clearly best reach by staying another year, it may make sense to stay. If there are specific academic goals that you can best attain by staying at Stanford, it makes sense to stay.  Otherwise, it doesn't and you are best served by getting on with your life. This is especially true when you can be compensated well at your new school and can pursue an additional degree.  It is also quite possible the new alternative may actually be socially more attractive (or at least different) than staying at Stanford. IMO for these reasons the vast majority of athletes who can graduate in 3 years will do so. In most cases, the "special" conditions that might keep them at Stanford don't exist.