"Big loss for Wazzu": College hoops world baffled after Kyle Smith accepts Stanford job despite 25-10 record for Washington State

Kyle Smith is the new head coach of the Stanford Cardinal basketball program.

Since taking over in 2019, Smith led Washington State to their first NCAA appearance since 2008 with a 25-10 record this season.

Washington State defeated Drake in the tournament's first round before falling to Iowa State in the second round. Following the Cougars' loss, Smith was announced as the new head coach at Stanford, which surprised many fans.

"Fantastic hire for Stanford. Big loss for Wazzu."

"seems like a step down?"

"I want to crawl up into a ball and cry for the next few years. He deserves it but we will REALLY miss him at WSU. Thank you for everything you did Coach Smith."

"2nd successful coach they've already lost probably due to their conference situation."

"He deserves it. Goodluck CKS at Stanford, and enjoy him Tree fans."

Washington State will not be in a conference next season due to realignment, which likely played a role in Smith leaving

Kyle Smith calls Stanford a 'dream come true'

Following the announcement of the hire, Kyle Smith sent out a statement and said coaching Stanford basketball is a dream come true for him.

"The opportunity to serve as the head men's basketball coach at Stanford is a dream come true, and I want to thank Bernard Muir for entrusting me with this opportunity," Smith said in a statement, via CBS.

"From my perspective, Stanford has the resources and reputation to attract the ideal student-athlete who is seeking the character development aspects of what our basketball program will offer. Stanford has the capacity to provide a place where student-athletes can hone their leadership skills and intellect through hard work and team building."

"I am thrilled to try to provide that type of culture for an institution that prides itself on excellence in all areas," he added.

Smith had been reportedly Stanford's top target for weeks and the school was waiting for Washington State to lose in the NCAA Tournament to make the hiring official.

A press conference is set for Wednesday to formally introduce Kyle Smith as Stanford's next head coach.

Smith went 94-71 in four seasons at Washington State. Before joining the Cougars, he was the head coach at Columbia from 2010 to 2016, then San Francisco from 2016 to 2019.