No. 10 Baylor Rides Balanced Offense to Upset of No. 5 Kansas in Big 12 Action
Feb 27, 2022
Baylor guard James Akinjo (11) reverses his dribble on Kansas guard Remy Martin (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
No. 10 Baylor has kept its hopes for a Big 12 regular-season title alive thanks to an 80-70victory over No. 5 Kansas on Saturday night at the Ferrell Center.
This was the second time these two heavyweight programs have met in the past three weeks. Kansas dominated the first meeting, 83-59, at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 5. Head coach Bill Self's squad was riding a four-game winning streak coming into this matchup.
The Bears got a much-needed win over one of their key conference rivals. Their last two losses were against Kansas and Texas Tech (83-73 on Feb. 16). They are now 12-4 in Big 12 play, one game behind Kansas in the loss column with two games left in the regular season.
Fresh off shooting 64.1 percent from the field and scoring 102 points against Kansas State on Tuesday, the Jayhawks' offense went cold against a much better defense. They only made 34.3 percent of their attempts, including 7-of-28 from three-point range.
Ochai Agbaji did his best to carry the unit with 27 points. David McCormack and Christian Braun both recorded a double-double in the loss.
This game initially looked like it would be a blowout for Kansas after taking a 21-9 lead midway through the first half.
Baylor settled in at that point, closing the first half on a 22-11 run to close the deficit to one point. Kendall Brown gave the Bears their first lead of the game with a dunk to open the second half.
The Jayhawks cut the lead to three with just under two minutes to play, but the Bears scored seven unanswered points to seal the victory.
Flo Thamba was the star of the game for the Bears with a career-high 18 points.
David McCormack (Kansas): 10 points (4-of-11 FG), 13 rebounds
Christian Braun (Kansas): 17 points (6-of-13 FG), 10 rebounds
Thamba, Sochan Step Up for Bears in Marquee Win
It's a testament to how well head coach Scott Drew has done at building depth on the roster that Baylor has been able to stay in the Top 10 of the Associated Press poll for most of the season, despite dealing with injury issues this season.
It was only two weeks ago that Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua suffered a season-ending knee injury in an 80-63 win over Texas on Feb. 12.
Thamba and Kendall Brown are the only two players on the roster who have appeared in all 29 games.
Thamba did his best to keep Baylor's offense afloat early in this game when it was struggling.
Flo Thamba has 12 of #Baylor's 17 points, the Bears are 0-6 from three & shooting 32% from the floor
Freshman Jeremy Sochan provided a huge spark off the bench. The England native dropped 17 points and grabbed five rebounds.He has now scored at least 17 points in two of the past three games.
So Jeremy Sochan is running the point, defending 5s, and hitting three pointers. Got it.
This wasn't the best performance for the Bears, but they were able to grind out a win over one of the top teams in the nation.
Baylor did most of its work on the offensive end inside the three-point line. It went 25-of-44 on two-pointers, compared to 3-of-14 from behind the arc. This was the team's first game with at least 80 points since Feb. 12 (four games).
If they can get LJ Cryer back healthy before the NCAA tournament begins, the Bears will be one of the most difficult teams to beat. The sophomore guard sat out his third straight game with a foot injury.
Cold Shooting Dooms Jayhawks
If the theory about a team needing to peak at the right time is true, Kansas looked to be well on its way to making a deep run in the NCAA tournament before Saturday night.
Per ESPN's College Basketball Power Index, Kansas entered this week ranked No. 1 in strength of record that measures how successful a team has been relative to its schedule. They rank fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 33rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom rankings.
One reason to be encouraged coming out of this game is that Kansas has not shot this poorly in a loss all season. The closest it came was a 39.1 field-goal percentage in a 76-62 win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 12.
Agbaji has shot 51 percent from the field (44.5 percent from behind the arc) this season, but he made just eight of his 22 attempts on Saturday.
Even on a night when he was struggling, at least by his own standards, Agbaji was a one-man wrecking crew for Kansas early in the second half. He scored 10 of the team's first 12 points coming out of the intermission.
When u pick the best 5 PTPERS in the nation this year for your ALL ROLLS ROYCE TEAM you MUST include @KUHoops OCHAI AGBAJI! He has been SENSATIONAL all year.
So after Bill Self's T, Ochai Agbaji hits two free throws (KU was 0-for-0 when he went to line), dunks and hits a three. KU up 39-35 at 17:25. Time out Baylor.
Christian Braun was the only Jayhawks starter who made at least 40 percent of his field-goal attempts. Dajuan Harris Jr.'s late-season struggles continued against Baylor. He went scoreless in 31 minutes and missed all six of his shot attempts.
One positive is that Harris had seven assists with just one turnover. The sophomore has never been a dominant scoring guard, but he had been shooting 45.7 percent from the field coming into this game.
In his last three games, Harris has scored a combined total of eight points on 4-of-16 shooting.
The strength of this Jayhawks roster is offense. They entered Saturday ranked 14th in points per game (80.0) and 18th in offensive rating (112.9), per Sports-Reference.com.
A one-game sample against Baylor isn't reason for panic. As long as Self can get his team to regroup, especially with a favorable schedule to end the regular season heading into the conference tournament, this loss will only be a blip on the radar of the 2021-22 season.
What's Next?
Kansas will play its final road game of the regular season against TCU on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Baylor will take on No. 20 Texas at the Erwin Events Center on Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
Baylor's Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua out Indefinitely After Gruesome Knee Injury
Feb 12, 2022
Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (23) is helped from the court as he leaves the game with an apparent leg injury during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua suffered a gruesome knee injury in Saturday's game against Texas:
When Baylor's Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua went down in the 1H, Texas' Chris Beard was the first person out to help. Photo by AP's Ray Carlin. pic.twitter.com/9XBq3Taoah
Hoping for the best with Baylor big man Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, but that knee injury didn’t look good at all. Just had to be helped off the court here in Waco. pic.twitter.com/zKX0wuXWyL
Tchatchoua scored just two points before suffering the first-half injury in the battle of Top 25 teams in the Big 12.
The UNLV transfer has played a key role off the bench during the past two seasons for Baylor.
Tchatchoua appeared in 29 games in 2020-21 as the Bears took home their first national championship in school history. He played 16 minutes in the title game victory over Gonzaga.
The 6'8" forward has made more of an impact in 2021-22, averaging 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game entering Saturday, making 68 percent of his field-goal attempts. He scored 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting in Wednesday's win over Kansas State.
The latest injury could be brutal for Baylor, which is already lacking depth:
Man so tough to see Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua go down with a brutal knee injury. One of my favorite players in the country. Baylor has not lost at full strength all season but this would be a devastating blow.
Jeremy Sochan could see more time off the bench, although there will be even more pressure on the entire roster.
No. 10 Kansas Routs No. 8 Baylor in Big 12 Action Behind Balanced Team Performance
Feb 5, 2022
Kansas guard Christian Braun (2) celebrates after a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Baylor suffered its second defeat in three games, losing to No. 10 Kansas 83-59 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.
Kansas was up 18 by halftime after holding Baylor to 21 first-half points. The Bears shot 8-of-31 from the field as a team and were sorely missing leading scorer LJ Cryer, who was out because of a lingering foot injury.
The Jayhawks led by as many as 34 points as they improved to 19-3. The eighth-ranked Bears, meanwhile, slipped to 19-4.
Notable Performers
Christian Braun, G, Kansas: 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal
Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas: 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists
James Akinjo, G, Baylor: one rebound, three assists, two steals
Adam Flagler, G, Baylor: 16 points, two rebounds, one assist, four steals
Kansas Atones for Kentucky Drubbing
Around this time last week, the Jayhawks were licking their wounds from a heavy 80-62 defeat at the hands of Kentucky. Although head coach Bill Self moved on as quickly as possible mentally, it was a stunning result from a program that's typically so difficult to beat at home.
Since then, Kansas already picked up a 70-61 victory over No. 20 Iowa State, but this felt a more cathartic win.
Not enough room to discuss Kansas' positives when up 39-21 on Baylor at half. Transition game was strong (but calmed down). Rebounding exceptional. Second-chance opportunities provided. Braun's 14 first-half points. Akinjo scoreless on seven shots. An emphatic statement. #kubball
This was a great collective effort by Kansas from start to finish. The Jayhawks didn't rest on their laurels coming out of halftime and instead poured it on even more. This sequence at the 11:33 mark of the second half encapsulated the contest.
Kansas already had ranked victories over Iowa State (twice), Texas Tech on its resume. A shellacking to this degree was absent until Saturday and it reaffirmed the Jayhawks' status as the top team in the Big 12 at the moment.
Baylor Finds Itself in Unfamiliar Position
The Bears dropped six games over the past two seasons, and their three losses entering Saturday all came by single digits. Calling Baylor a front-runner would be inaccurate, but this is a team that doesn't dig itself into as big of a hole as it experienced against Kansas.
Kansas up 39-21 at the half over Baylor. That's Baylor's fewest number of points in a half all season. Also per @ESPNStatsInfo, it's only the second time in the last three seasons they've trailed by double-digits at halftime.
There's no question Cryer's absence had a negative impact on Baylor's offense. But head coach Scott Drew at least got Adam Flagler and enough firepower to have mounted a better challenge against Kansas. James Akinjo missed all 11 of his shot attempts.
Baylor looks so limited offensively of late. Part of it is absolutely the fact that their guards are banged up, but James Akinjo is supposed to be healthy now. He's 0-7 today. The Bears really need Matthew Mayer to be that dude, but we've been saying that for how long?
Kansas' wildly divergent outcomes from last week to Saturday is an example of why fans shouldn't read too much into one game. There are some days when things go inexplicably wrong.
Drew might also be able to use this to help refocus his players for the home stretch of the regular season. All will be forgiven if Baylor defends its home court and gains a measure of revenge against Kansas on Feb. 26.
What's Next?
Kansas' stretch of five ranked opponents ends Monday against No. 23 Texas in Austin. Baylor stays on the road to play Kansas State on Wednesday.
Alabama guard Jahvon Quinerly (13) cheers after hitting a 3-point shot against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Jahvon Quinerly scored 20 points to lead the unranked Alabama men's basketball team to an 87-78 upset win over the visiting No. 4 Baylor Bears on Saturday.
Alabama shot 59.2 percent from the field and hit 22 of 26 free throws en route to a dominant offensive performance.
Five Crimson Tide players scored 11 or more points, with Jaden Shackelford notably adding 19 of his own in addition to nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Jeremy Sochan posted 17 points and eight rebounds off the bench to lead all Baylor players. Adam Flagler added 16 points, and James Akinjo provided eight points, seven assists and three steals.
Alabama, which never trailed by more than two points, held a 38-34 halftime advantage and led wire-to-wire in the second half. The Crimson Tide later went on a 14-2 run that included eight Keon Ellis points, including a dunk following a steal and a three-pointer.
Alabama outscored Baylor 24-14 in points off turnovers.
Baylor scored a pair of buckets to cut the edge to 81-75 with 1:52 left in regulation. However, Davison hit a three in response before Juwan Gary sealed the game with a dunk that put Alabama up 86-75 with 37 seconds remaining.
With the loss, Baylor fell to 18-3 overall (6-2 Big 12). Alabama improved to 14-7 (4-4 SEC).
No. 1 Baylor Upset by Unranked Oklahoma State for 2nd Straight Loss in Big 12 Action
Jan 16, 2022
WACO, TX - JANUARY 15: Bryce Thompson #1 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys goes up for a break away slam dunk as LJ Cryer #4 of the Baylor Bears looks on in the first half at the Ferrell Center on January 15, 2022 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
For the second time in the past five days, the No. 1 Baylor Bears men's basketball team has lost.
Oklahoma State stunned the defending champions on Saturday 61-54 at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas, behind strong performances from Bryce Thompson (19 points) and Bryce Williams (nine points, six assists).
That spoiled big evenings from LJ Cryer (18 points) and Matthew Mayer (16 points, five rebounds). And it likely put an end to Baylor's spot atop the rankings, which it has held for the past five weeks after starting the season with 15 straight wins.
But No. 19 Texas Tech put an end to the streak with Tuesday's 65-62 win over the Bears. And then Oklahoma State shockingly handed Baylor its second straight loss at home and the first two-game losing streak for the school since the 2018-19 season.
It didn't come easy. Despite leading by as many as 18 points in the first half and by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Cowboys saw the Bears cut the deficit to just one with a minute and 20 seconds remaining.
But Baylor couldn't get any closer, with multiple turnovers down the stretch. Oklahoma State hit its free throws and left Waco with the win.
When it came to being upset, Baylor was at least in good company on Saturday:
It’s been a wild Saturday (and we’re still not done).
No. 1 Baylor loses at home to unranked Oklahoma State. No. 10 Michigan State loses at home to unranked Northwestern. No. 12 LSU loses at home to unranked Arkansas (minus Muss).
But Oklahoma State is quite the story in its own right.
The school is banned from postseason play this season following former associate head coach Lamont Evans pleading guilty in January 2019 to a charge of conspiring to commit bribery after accepting over $22,000 in bribes for steering players to financial and business advisors. Other penalties include a reduced number of scholarships, recruiting restrictions and a three-year probationary period.
That was part of a larger FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball.
Oklahoma State appealed the punishment and participated in postseason play last year while the appeal was pending, though it was ultimately denied and the punishments were upheld.
Those circumstances could have easily left these Cowboys feeling ambivalent about the 2021-22 season. But despite some struggles this season, they've continued to fight.
Baylor goes from 21 straight wins to back-to-back home losses. Frankly, it’s stunning.
Oklahoma State was 8-7 coming into today and playing its third game in six days.
It’s the first time Scott Drew’s program has taken consecutive Ls at home since February 2014.
Those Oklahoma State boys are still fighting for Mike Boynton, those fans and their school after everything that was taken from them. You gotta admire that.
On Saturday, they took that fight to the top team in the nation and left with arguably the biggest upset of the men's college basketball season.
No. 1 Baylor's Unbeaten Season Spoiled by No. 19 Texas Tech in Big 12 Upset
Jan 12, 2022
WACO, TX - JANUARY 11: Adonis Arms #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives inside as Matthew Mayer #24 of the Baylor Bears moves to defend in the first half at the Ferrell Center on January 11, 2022 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Tuesday was not a good day to be an undefeated team in men's college basketball.
After USC lost to Stanford, Baylor was the last remaining undefeated team in the country. Turns out, that lasted merely hours.
The No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders went on the road Tuesday and stunned the top-ranked Bears with a 65-62 upset. The victors improved to 12-3 on the season and 2-1 in Big 12 play, while Baylor fell to 15-1 overall and 3-1 in the league.
James Akinjo's potential game-tying three in the final seconds came up short, clinching the upset for the visitors.
While the Red Raiders had five players score in double figures, they won the game on the defensive side.
That's not particularly surprising considering they are fourth in the nation in Ken Pomeroy's pace-adjusted defensive rankings. They swarmed Baylor's outside shooters while holding the country's top team to just 8-of-24 shooting from deep and cut off its driving lanes while forcing 14 turnovers.
The last possession in particular stood out, as the Bears struggled to create a quality shot and were left with Akinjo tossing up a contested miss.
Adam Flagler and Akinjo each scored 17 points, but LJ Cryer was the only other Baylor player to score in double figures with 10.
Adonis Arms spearheaded the offensive effort for Texas Tech with 14 points, but he also stuffed the stat sheet with nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks. His ability to get into the lane and either finish himself or create for others was enough for the Red Raiders to overcome their own shooting woes at 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) from deep.
It has been quite the stretch for the victors considering they also defeated No. 6 Kansas on Saturday. The Red Raiders look the part of Big 12 contenders in the early portion of the conference schedule and will look to continue their momentum when they face Oklahoma State on Thursday.
Baylor will attempt to bounce back from its first loss when it plays the Cowboys in its next game as well on Saturday.
While the Bears will be in the unfamiliar position of playing after a loss, they are still in an ideal spot to earn a No. 1 seed come Selection Sunday when they will be attempting to defend their national title.
No. 6 Baylor Uses Strong 2nd Half to Beat Michigan St., Win Battle 4 Atlantis Title
Nov 26, 2021
In this photo provided by Bahamas Visual Services, Baylor guard James Akinjo (11) and Michigan State guard Tyson Walker (2) battle for the ball during an NCAA college basketball game at Paradise Island, Bahamas, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. (Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services via AP)
No. 6 Baylor pulled away from Michigan
State in the second half to capture the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis men's
championship with a 75-58 win at Imperial Arena in the Bahamas.
The Bears carried a slim two-point
advantage into halftime following a back-and-forth opening 20
minutes that saw neither team lead by more than six. They used an 8-0
run early in the second half to increase their lead to 13 and then
cruised to the finish line to remain undefeated (7-0).
It's the second Battle 4 Atlantis title
for Baylor, which won the event in 2016. The Spartans
dropped to 5-2, with the other loss coming against then-No. 3 Kansas
in their season opener.
Notable Stats
G James Akinjo (BAY): 15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals
G Adam Flagler (BAY): 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
G Matthew Mayer (BAY): 8 points, 7 rebounds
F Gabe Brown (MSU): 13 points, 5 rebounds
G Jaden Akins (MSU): 12 points
Baylor Bench Continues to Provide Major
Boost
Baylor has one of the deepest rosters
in the nation, and that was on full display throughout its run to the
Battle 4 Atlantis championship.
LJ Cryer, the Bears' leading scorer,
tallied 15 points off the bench in Wednesday's win over Arizona State, and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua recorded 13 points and eight rebounds
in Thursday's triumph over VCU in the semifinals.
Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Cryer and Jeremy
Sochan all played pivotal roles in Friday's victory. The reserve
trio combined for more than a third of BU's scoring (26 of 75 points)
while knocking down 10 of their 18 shots (55.6
percent).
Having an offensive game-changer like
Cryer as a sixth man is one thing, but featuring three different
players who can provide high-end contributions off the bench gives
the Bears depth that will be hard for opponents to match
all season long.
In addition, the size of Tchamwa
Tchatchoua (6'8", 245 pounds) and Sochan (6'9", 230) gives head
coach Scott Drew the ability to mix and match his lineups. It helps
alleviate concerns that teams with multiple talented bigs can give Baylor trouble.
While it's early in the campaign,
the depth is a major reason Baylor is in position to defend its March Madness title.
MSU's Stock on the Rise Despite Loss
Michigan State didn't generate much attention coming into the season. It was ranked outside the Top 25
and couldn't keep pace with the Jayhawks in a 13-point loss in
the opener.
The Spartans have played well
since that loss, though. They won their next three games by an
average of 29.7 points and then scored hard-fought victories over
Loyola of Chicago and No. 22 UConn to punch their ticket to the Battle 4
Atlantis final.
They went shot-for-shot with Baylor in
the first half and appeared to have a chance for the upset before the
Bears caught fire early in the second half. They still made a strong showing in the Bahamas.
Brown, Marcus Bingham Jr. and Malik
Hall represent a matchup advantage over most teams on
the interior. How far the Spartans go this season will depend
on how much shooting they generate around those post players.
MSU entered the day shooting 32.7
percent from beyond the arc, and it made only four of 15
three-point attempts against the Bears. A few more makes and it's a
competitive game down to the wire.
Michigan State has work to
do if it wants to contend with the nation's elite by season's end,
but it looks like a Top 20 team with upside.
What's Next?
Michigan State returns home to the Breslin Center to host Louisville on Wednesday as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Baylor is off until Dec. 4 when it welcomes Arkansas-Pine Bluff to the Ferrell Center.
Isaiah Austin Lands NBA Front Office Job; Was Ruled Medically Ineligible to Play
Sep 24, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 18: Isaiah Austin #21 of Enemies dunks against Ghost Ballers during week two of the BIG3 at the Orleans Arena on July 18, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Former Baylor basketball star Isaiah Austin has received a fellowship to work in the NBA league office during the 2021-22 season.
According to TMZ Sports, Austin is transitioning to the executive ranks after spending the past four years playing overseas.
Austin was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft, but he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, which is a genetic disorder of the body's connective tissue. Austin was not selected, but the NBA made him an honorary draft pick, and Commissioner Adam Silver offered him a job with the league contingent on his completing his degree at Baylor.
Austin received clearance to play in 2016 and spent time with teams in Serbia, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Lebanon, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates and the Dominican Republic from 2017 to 2021.
Austin also played in the BIG3 last season.
The 7-foot Austin averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game in two seasons at Baylor, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention and Big 12 All-Defensive recognition as a sophomore.
Now that Austin has retired from playing, he is taking the next step in his career, telling Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic (h/t TMZ Sports), "Here I am in year five, and I'm ready to move on to the next stage of my life."
Austin is 27 years old, and he could have a long career in the NBA, albeit in a different role than originally thought.
TMZ Sports noted his fellowship will begin Oct. 4 and run for a year. Once it concludes, Austin will look to get hired by one of the league's 30 teams.
5-Star SG Keyonte George Commits to Baylor over Kentucky, Kansas, More
Aug 8, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: Keyonte George looks on during the Pangos All-American Camp on June 8, 2021 at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Keyonte George will be packing his bags for Waco, Texas, after committing to Baylor ahead of the 2022-23 college basketball season, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi.
George is the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 shooting guard in the nation, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the best player from Texas.
Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports looked at George's game in June and compared him to Minnesota Timberwolves star D'Angelo Russell:
"George is a smooth scoring guard who shows a high level of dedication to the game and looks to play the game the right way. He scores within the flow of an offense and can knock down jumpers from all three ranges on the floor. His in-between game is potent as he has the knack of getting to his spots to get his shot off. He uses his handle to wiggle his way into his pullup and has the explosiveness and body control to finish plays in a crowd. His game is built upon skill more than elite quickness. He plays with poise and makes sound decisions with the ball in his hands."
Prior to transferring to iSchool Entrepreneurial Academy, the dynamic 2-guard starred at Lewisville High School. He helped the Fighting Farmers reach the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs. While the team lost 86-73 to Duncanville, George dropped 32 points.
George and iSchool competed in the Iverson Classic: Battle In The Bluff last December, and the event proved to be a great showcase:
At 6'4" and 185 pounds, George has the frame to play either guard position. He possesses the skills to serve as the primary playmaker while he's on the floor, too.
The Lewisville native is an instinctive scorer, though, and that will be his first thought when he has the ball in his hands. You can't blame him considering he has the ability to stop on a dime and nail a pull-up jumper or slash to the basket for a thunderous finish.
The Russell comparison is apt because the 2018-19 All-Star isn't a traditional point guard but averaged seven assists per game to go with 21.1 points during his career year with the Brooklyn Nets. In addition, his frame (6'4", 193 lbs) is nearly identical to George's.
Russell only spent one season at Ohio State before moving on to the NBA, and George's time in college could be similarly brief. Don't expect him to wear the Bears' uniform for too long, but he should provide plenty of entertainment while playing for head coach Scott Drew.
Drew inherited a disastrous situation when he took over in 2003 and steadily turned Baylor into a nationally relevant program. That culminated in the program's first championship in men's basketball this past spring.
With George's decision, the impact of that success is evident.
