Michael Humphrey has always stood out. At 6-9, he was hard to miss at Sunnyslope High in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was the starting quarterback for two seasons.
“He would get some looks from the referees and the other teams,” said his coach, Damon Pieri. “Especially during the coin toss at midfield. But if you’re around the kid every day, you don’t even think about it. That’s just who he is.”
The happy-go-lucky Humphrey has filled out to 220 pounds and become a force for the Stanford basketball team. With a 38-inch vertical leap and 6-10 wingspan, and the sophomore forward has blossomed into one of the best young big men in the Pac-12.
At times, the springy Humphrey seemingly comes out of nowhere to block shots and averages nearly two per game. He rejected three against California last Thursday night and has 29 on the season, seventh-most in the league.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in,” he said. “In high school I was always joking with my parents that I could have a game where I scored a lot of points, but if you had one block where you blocked it out of bounds, it gets the team and crowd energized. But you also have to be smart because it’s a way to pick up fouls. I’m no help to the team if I’m on the bench.”
Athletic genes run deep. His father, Tim, and mother, Kim, were outstanding high school athletes and attended Arizona State and Arizona, respectively. Tim played baseball, while Kim competed in volleyball, basketball, softball, track and field, and diving, and holds the Central High School girls’ record for most varsity letters.
“That’s according to my father, but I’ve never really been sure about it,” said Kim. “It was right when Title IX was introduced, so they were always looking for girls to play sports.”
Said Tim, “She’s being humble. It’s true.”
Humphrey’s older sisters, Katie and Lauren, also excelled. Katie won two state high school volleyball titles, while Lauren played four years of varsity tennis.
In addition, Kim’s father and brother played quarterback at Arizona.
Humphrey’s parents met and married after college.
“We’re a house divided,” he said.
At Sunnyslope, Humphrey starred in football and basketball. He played quarterback in a spread offense as a junior and senior, and could throw the ball more than 60 yards.
“The kid just had a cannon for an arm,” said Pieri, a former NFL defensive back. “He could really hit the deep comebacks and deep dig routes, things most high school quarterbacks can’t do.”
Humphrey led his team to a 10-0 regular-season record in 2013-14 before losing in the playoffs. He was intercepted once all season.
“I liked to run, but it wasn’t my strength,” he said. “We had a really good running back, so I handed off a lot.”
Humphrey wasn’t the fastest player on the team, but he was smart, athletic and tough.
“One time he ran a zone read, faked a handoff, ran around the corner, juked a safety and went for about 55 yards,” said Pieri. “He looked like a giraffe running down the sidelines.”
Humphrey has always been competitive.
“When he was about four or five in t-ball, the coach got the boys and girls together and said, ‘Why are we here?’ ” said Kim. “And Michael says, ‘To win a championship!’ And then a little girl says, ‘To have fun.’ And the coach says, ‘Yes, that’s what I’m looking for.’ We all saw the look on Michael’s face saying, ‘What? We’re here to win.’ ’’
In basketball, Humphrey averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds as a junior and 16.7 and 11.5, respectively, as a senior. He led Sunnyslope to a 28-4 record and a spot in the state semifinals.
While everyone knew Humphrey’s athletic future was college basketball – he had nearly 40 scholarship offers, including Arizona – Pieri will always appreciate his commitment to football.
“The kid could have easily said I’m not going to play,” he said. “But he loved the game, he loved his teammates, he showed up every day and never missed a practice or weight room workout. He was truly a team leader and one of the guys.”
Johnny Dawkins, Stanford’s Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men’s Basketball, watched Humphrey play AAU basketball and attended one of his high school football games.
“Saw a world of potential,” said Dawkins. “Playing that position and seeing how comfortable he was at a leadership position and everything that encompasses being a quarterback, I just said, ‘Wow, what an upside he’s going to have for basketball when he starts being full-time with our sport. How many bigs think like a quarterback or a coach?”
Assistant coach Tim O’Toole, who works with the Cardinal post players, didn’t know what to expect from Humphrey on the football field.
“We went online beforehand and saw pictures of the captains and which one sticks out,” said O’Toole, now in his 22nd year coaching in Division I. “There were a whole bunch of guys about 5-7 and then this head appeared. So he stood out like a sore thumb, plus they were Vikings and they’re green. To see this big, tall skinny kid and all these other guys playing with him, I was just thinking, ‘I hope he’s a Viking.’ And the reality is, he is.”
Tim Humphrey said the coaching staff made a great first impression.
“It was fun because we were sitting in the stands and not expecting or knowing which one of the coaches was going to be there,” he said. “The whole staff showed up and Mike ended up having a great game.”
Recalled Humphrey, “It was probably the best game I ever played. I threw a few touchdown passes and I think I ran for one.”
Humphrey knows playing football has helped improve his basketball skills.
“It was the toughness and never fearing an opponent,” he said. “Also the footwork, whether it was handoffs, dropping back to pass or playing defense.”
Arizona, a perennial national power in basketball, made a strong pitch for Humphrey. It was tempting until he visited Stanford.
“I fell in love with it,” he said. “I have a ton of respect for U of A, but this is the best decision I ever could have made. I’m in the right place.”
His parents agree.
“I think Tim and I felt when we were at Stanford for the recruiting visit it would be an amazing place for Michael to go to school,” said Kim.
Neither pressured him.
“It was Mike’s decision,” said Tim. “He worked through the whole process. He wanted the experience and the academics.”
During his recruiting trip, Humphrey spent time with the football coaches.
“They showed him film and it made him feel at home,” O’Toole said.
As a freshman last season, Humphrey got off to a strong start with double-doubles against California and Oregon State, recording 14 points and 15 rebounds in the latter. But he injured his ankle in early March at Arizona State, and it was painful in more ways than one.
“He had tons of high school friends, family and supporters sitting in the crowd,” said Tim. “He scored on an alley-oop from Chasson Randle. And then to have him roll the ankle a couple minutes later was heartbreaking.”
Humphrey was limited the rest of the season, although he appeared in 30 games and made six starts. He played a combined 15 minutes in Stanford’s five-game run to its second NIT Championship in three seasons.
“It was tough,” Humphrey said.
In the spring, Humphrey developed mononucleosis. He accompanied the team on a summer exhibition tour in Italy, but wasn’t cleared to practice until September.
“I lost some weight and was tired all the time,” he said.
Gradually, Humphrey regained stamina and showed his toughness. On Oct. 24, the day before the Cardinal and White Scrimmage, he was accidentally elbowed in the mouth during practice, knocking out his two front teeth. Humphrey played in the game.
He has become a force with his hustle, energy, work ethic and determination. Humphrey ranks second on the team in rebounding (7.0), second in field goal percentage (49.6 percent) and fourth in scoring (10.8).
“Every rep you take you get better with, especially working with Coach O’Toole,” Humphrey said. “And obviously the more minutes I play, the more confident I feel out there.”
During a recent road win at Oregon State, the fiery but seldom outspoken Humphrey implored teammates to respond during a timeout when the Beavers made a second-half run. He was already running hot after three straight no-foul calls by the officials.
“He got his Irish up,” said O’Toole.
It might have been a turning point.
“I think it was pivotal moment in his career,” O’Toole said. “He was no longer this nice, young sophomore who is talented. He became a guy in this league who isn’t afraid to fight for what he believed in. When you can do that night in and night out, you’re a different guy.”
Following the timeout, Humphrey missed a dunk but was fouled and converted both free throws.
“He backed it up,” said O’Toole. “He has to have a presence on our team for us to be successful in this league.”
Especially with power forward and leading rebounder Reid Travis sidelined with a leg injury.
“Now he can’t defer,” Dawkins said. “He knows he has to do it. Sometimes that’s when people find something in themselves.”
The versatile Humphrey has a team-high 17 dunks and isn’t afraid to launch from deep. He’s also first in smirks.
“Everyone wants to be an outside shooter and chuck up three-pointers,” he said. “It’s fun. The whole time I’ve been playing basketball I’ve been one of the bigger guys and you kind of know your role. I’ve always been kind of a bottom feeder around the basket.”
While Humphrey has hops, teammate Rosco Allen can also soar. Allen has produced highlight reel dunks against Utah, Oregon State and California, all at timely moments.
“I have the quantity but he has the quality,” said Humphrey. “Those dunks were huge. There’s a lot of season left. I’ll try to step up and make the plays when they need to be made.”
Said Allen, “We’re pretty competitive with that. It’s also good natured and always nice to have a teammate pushing you.”
Initially, some are fooled by Humphrey’s baby-faced demeanor. Admittedly a late bloomer, he has more floor burns than jams.
“Don’t let him fool you. He is very passionate and will compete for everything on that basketball court.”
» Stanford’s Johnny Dawkins, the Tony and Anne Joseph Director of Men’s Basketball
Added Allen, “He’s a fighter. He doesn’t necessarily have that appearance but he’ll battle you on both ends.”
Humphrey proved that last year in practice going against rugged fifth-year senior center Stefan Nastic. Now playing professionally in Serbia, the 6-10, 245-pound Nastic never let up against the 205-pound Humphrey.
“Unfortunately when Mike got here, Grant (Verhoeven) and Reid were hurt and there was no one else to guard Stef,” said O’Toole. “There wasn’t a lot he could do physically and every time Stef hit him, and it was virtually every play, you could hear a thud. As a coach who has been in this business a long time, you’re watching and wondering, ‘When is he going to break?’ That moment never occurred.”
Not that his parents were surprised.
“He was raised by two older sisters, so anything looks good after that,” Kim said.
Dawkins is delighted with his progress.
“I’m really proud of Mike,” he said. “You knew he had a chance to be really, really good. But he’s really had to step up with Reid being out and give us even more.”
Humphrey is taking math classes this season and expects to declare economics as his major this spring. His long-range goal is to play in the NBA.
“That’s what I’m working for every day,” he said.
While Stanford was picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12, the Cardinal is 10-6 overall and 3-2 in league play against the fourth-toughest schedule in the country.
“Every night is going to be a fight for our lives,” said Humphrey. “It’s wide open this year. Why not us?”
Humphrey’s parents will attend Thursday night’s game against 12th-ranked Arizona at Maples Pavilion.
“I know a few guys on the team,” Humphrey said. “A lot of my friends from high school went to the U of A. All of my family were big U of A fans.”
Were.
“All of us wear red and white,” said Tim.
Humphrey’s enthusiasm is contagious.
“When he walks in a room, you feel better,” O’Toole said. “He comes in with more energy, whether he’s talking to a ball kid, the guys on the team or a fellow student. That’s just who he is.”