[97fan]

I'd argue that even if Brevin Knight was not the best men's basketball player in Stanford history - and he may have been - he had the biggest impact on the trajectory of the program. The team was 7-23 the year before he arrived on campus and made the Final Four the year after he left. Rich Jackson, a bench warmer for most of his time on the Farm, was the only other player in Brevin's recruiting class, if I recall correctly.

Well, there was Hank Luisetti.
Before he played Stanford had five straight losing seasons, 10-17 the immediately prior season.
During Luisetti's three seasons Stanford went 21-8, 25-2, 21-3, then 4 years later won the NCAA title.

... and of course there is that whole changed how everybody plays the game thing.

Four years later they won the NCAA title, but the NIT was the more prestigious tournament at that time.

[97fan]

I'd argue that even if Brevin Knight was not the best men's basketball player in Stanford history - and he may have been - he had the biggest impact on the trajectory of the program. The team was 7-23 the year before he arrived on campus and made the Final Four the year after he left. Rich Jackson, a bench warmer for most of his time on the Farm, was the only other player in Brevin's recruiting class, if I recall correctly.

Well, there was Hank Luisetti.
Before he played Stanford had five straight losing seasons, 10-17 the immediately prior season.
During Luisetti's three seasons Stanford went 21-8, 25-2, 21-3, then 4 years later won the NCAA title.

... and of course there is that whole changed how everybody plays the game thing.

Four years later they won the NCAA title, but the NIT was the more prestigious tournament at that time.