Former Stanford and Duke Guard Jaylen Blakes Signs International Deal

Another former Cardinal is getting their shot at the professional level. After putting together a terrific final season of college basketball at Stanford, former Cardinal guard Jaylen Blakes signed a deal to play basketball overseas in Israel with Galil Elyon BC.

Blakes, who spent the first three seasons of his college career at Duke, transferred to Stanford for his final season in order to earn more playing time. And in first year head coach Kyle Smith's scheme, Blakes excelled and averaged 13.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists as a core starter for the Cardinal, forming a dominant duo with star center, Maxime Raynaud.

In his three years at Duke, Blakes struggled to find his footing, starting in only three total games. His best season came as a sophomore, when he averaged 3.4 points, 1.3 assists and 1.5 rebounds off the bench. A member of Coach K's final Duke team, Blakes got the chance to be a part of some very big games.

And while Blakes got an overseas contract instead of an NBA contract, he will use the opportunity to get some attention from NBA scouts. A good leader who also has shown that he is a two-way guard, Blakes brings a lot of talent to Israel and will look to make a name for himself.

Galil Elyon BC plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League-- the country's highest tier of competition. Winning the Israeli Championship once, the Israeli State Cup twice and the Balkan International Basketball League once, Galil is a top team in Israel but is not known as a powerhouse in Europe. Regardless, Blakes will face some stiff competition that could help separate him from all the rest.

Blakes' signing is another example of just how good of a talent developer Smith is. Blakes and Raynaud, two players that flew under the radar, evolved into top players in college basketball and were integral reasons why the Cardinal won over 20 games in a season where they were expected to struggle. Raynaud went from a potential draftee to someone that was seen as a steal in the second round.

Entering 2025-26, the Cardinal will boast a much different roster, but one that includes a lot of highly regarded incoming prospects. In Smith's second season, the Cardinal will play a very challenging ACC schedule, but with a more established program, all eyes will be on Stanford and if they can return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in well over a decade.