Maxime Raynaud broke out this season for the Cardinal, developing into one of the country’s best bigs. NBA scouts will fall in love with Raynaud’s floor spacing and creation potential as a true seven-footer. Despite notable flaws on both ends, Raynaud’s highly coveted archetype is scarce around the league.
- Team: Stanford
- Height: 7’0
- Weight: 236
- Wingspan: 7’1
- Age: 22.2 (April 7, 2003)
Maxime Raynaud— Big, Stanford (22.2 years old)
NBA Comparison: Quinten Post, Bol Bol
Raynaud could impact winning similarly to Quinten Post, who proved a useful rotation piece for a playoff team as a rookie. Raynaud’s floor spacing and secondary driving value can help him neutralize certain lineups without the defensive personnel to match. We’ve seen a tall, talented offensive player like Bol Bol float around the NBA, adding value in moments with his size and rare toolkit.
Strengths
- Excellent fluidity as a driver for his size with great flexibility, coordination for potent closeout creation
- Efficient volume 3-point shooter with tough shotmaking ability in the post and mid-range
- Flashes skip and interior passing chops out of the post
- Scores with great touch in the post with both hands and over both shoulders
- Impressive lateral movement skills for a center, capable of switching out and mirroring smaller players on the perimeter
Weaknesses
- Struggles to score and defend through contact, stronger bigs easily knock him off of his spot
- Limited shot blocker for a seven-footer, lacks great length or vertical explosion to impact shots around the hoop
- Inconsistent decision maker who can settle for difficult shots, especially against ball pressure
- Struggles to shoot over contests from beyond the arc without a quick release
Offensive role: Stretch Big
Defensive role: Perimeter Defending Big
2025 NBA Draft Projection: Round 2, Pick 35-45
Raynaud’s physical and defensive limitations could make it challenging for great teams to find center minutes for him in important minutes. If he develops into an excellent floor spacer, though, there will be a place in the NBA for him. Smart offensive coaches can extract value from a player with Raynaud’s size, shooting and driving potential.
