Big 12 Basketball

Baylor star Jared Butler declared for the 2021 NBA draft.

Butler doesn't appear to be leaving the door open for a return, saying he's "100 percent prepared for and committed to the next step—the NBA!"

The 6'3" guard averaged 16.7 points and 4.8 assists as he helped lead the Bears to a national championship in 2021.

Butler could've stayed and helped Baylor in pursuit of a repeat. He probably couldn't have helped his NBA draft stock too much with another year on campus, though.

In his most recent big board, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked Butler as the 19th-best player overall. He also projected the Bears guard to go 17th to the Golden State Warriors in his most recent mock draft.

"Butler swayed scouts this year by improving his shooting, playmaking and defense while leading Baylor to a national championship," Wasserman wrote. "He comes off as an easy fit anywhere based on his ball-handling for creation and convincing spot-up three-ball."

In addition to his role in Baylor's team success, Butler helped himself by improving his offensive efficiency. As a sophomore, he shot 42.1 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc. Those numbers were 47.1 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, during his junior campaign.

Baylor head coach Scott Drew is potentially looking an at uphill climb toward the team's title defense. Following Sunday's news, Drew might have to replace four of his top five scorers (Butler, MaCio Teague, Davion Mitchell and Matthew Mayer) along with leading rebounder Mark Vital.

The Bears signed 5-star small forward Kendall Brown and 4-star recruits Langston Love and Jeremy Sochan, per 247Sports. James Akinjo also joined from Arizona, though it remains unclear when he'll be eligible to play after having already transferred once during his collegiate career.

Former Arizona State star Remy Martin has committed to Kansas but left the door open for a possible jump to the NBA.

"I just want to be able to play for a historic program," Martin told Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today. "I’m very excited to play for Coach Self and get my master's degree. I'm hoping to interact with the fans and play in such a historic place like Phog Allen Fieldhouse."

The 6'0" guard averaged 19.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 23 games for the Sun Devils this past season.

Martin entered the transfer portal Tuesday. His father, Sam, told The Athletic's Doug Haller the three-time All-Pac 12 player was "just trying to hedge his bets a little bit" and is "full-bore, straight-ahead on trying to get to the league."

Martin also flirted with the NBA prior to the 2020-21 season before eventually returning to Arizona State.

With the NCAA allowing fall and winter sports athletes to gain an extra year of eligibility, suiting up for the Jayhawks will likely allow him to showcase his skills better than he could have with the Sun Devils. While it's still early, Kansas figures to be a Final Four contender in 2021-22, and the addition of Martin tips the scales even more in the program's favor.

Brian Bennett and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic ranked him as the best player in the transfer portal:

But Martin has a bulldog mentality that makes up for some of his shortcomings, and he's one of the few guys in the transfer portal who can get you 20 points a night in a power conference. He finished his Arizona State career ranked sixth all-time in scoring and second in assists. ... He's a winning player who could be one of the prizes of the portal.

Especially if Ochai Agbaji, who's also exploring his draft prospects, returns to Lawrence, the Jayhawks could have a dynamic backcourt combination. Agbaji was the team's leading scorer at 14.1 points per game.

From an NBA perspective, Martin might still have some work to do. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman didn't list him among the top 50 players on May 4, and he was absent on ESPN's list of the top 100 available.

The downside for Martin is that he'd be 24 by the time the 2022 NBA draft rolls around if he chooses to wait. Obi Toppin was considered an older player in his draft class, and he was 22 when the New York Knicks selected him eighth overall.

Whatever he decides, Martin has until July 19 to make up his mind.

Texas forward Greg Brown announced his intention to enter the 2021 NBA draft Thursday.

Brown posted a statement on Instagram that he has signed with BDA Sports.

"First off, I would like to thank the University of Texas for the historical year and all the great memories," Brown wrote. "I will cherish them forever. I have decided to chase my dreams and enter the 2021 NBA Draft and sign with BDA Sports."

The 19-year-old averaged 9.3 points and 6.2 rebounds during his freshman season with the Longhorns, who were eliminated in round one of the NCAA tournament. 

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman has Brown ranked as the No. 40 prospect in this year's class. 

Brown, who is listed at 6'9" and 205 pounds, is one of the most athletic players in the nation. His earth-shattering dunk against Baylor may have been the best of the 2020-21 college season, and he's consistently able to use his leaping ability and lateral quickness to help out in former coach Shaka Smart's pressure defensive system.

While he's not an elite scorer, the Texas native flashed an improving jumper and hit 33.0 percent of his three-point shots as a freshman. His passing and playmaking IQ need a ton of work, but he projects as a potential 3-and-D player at the 3 and could rocket up boards if he keeps working on his shooting mechanics.

The measurables in terms of athleticism will be undeniable, and Brown could lap the field in workouts if the NBA has an in-person scouting combine this year.

As it stands, he has tremendous upside because of his size and athleticism. He could move up in the rankings throughout the pre-draft process due to his skill set. 

Texas Tech guard Mac McClung has withdrawn from the NCAA transfer portal but left open the possibility of moving on to the NBA.

"Just didn't feel right in my heart," McClung wrote Thursday on Twitter. "Whatever decision I make in the near future with the NBA process, I will always want to be a part of Red Raider Nation."

On April 11, he had announced his plans to prepare for the NBA draft while also entering the transfer portal:

The Gate City, Virginia, native averaged 15.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 2020-21 after transferring from Georgetown. He also shot 41.9 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, both of which were personal bests.

McClung's original decision came 10 days after Texas officially announced the hiring of head coach Chris Beard from Texas Tech. The Red Raiders subsequently promoted associate head coach Mark Adams to succeed Beard.

Stadium's Jeff Goodman noted McClung would've needed the NCAA to grant him a waiver in order to receive immediate eligibility at another school. That's not a problem at Texas Tech. Adams also provides a level of continuity for players on last year's squad, which might have played into McClung's final decision.

The 21-year-old now has until July 19 to decide if he'll be a part of this year's draft class ahead of the July 29 event.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman omitted McClung from his most recent big board. Likewise, he wasn't among the top 100 prospects on ESPN.com or for Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.

Returning to Lubbock might be the best move to help his hopes of carving out an NBA career.

Kansas Jayhawks freshman guard Bryce Thompson will not return to the school for his sophomore season and will enter the transfer portal, he announced Tuesday.

"I just want to say thank you to the Kansas coaching staff, the team doctors, all the staff and the fans for supporting me since I got to Lawrence," he told Eric Bossi of 247Sports. "I appreciate everybody supporting me from day one, but after careful consideration with my family, I feel that it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal."

Thompson, a 5-star recruit in the class of 2020, averaged 4.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20 games (four starts) for the Jayhawks. He dealt with a back injury and broken hand, limiting his production.

"After talking to his family, Bryce let us that he was going to enter the transfer portal," Kansas head coach Bill Self said in a press release. "I know Bryce had a tough freshman season with injuries, but I enjoyed coaching him this year through the ups and downs. We wish nothing but the best for the entire Thompson family moving forward."

Thompson has major talent despite a tough freshman season and will arguably be the crown jewel of this year's crop of transfers.

He joins Tristan Enaruna, Gethro Muscadin, Latrell Jossell and Tyon Grant-Foster as players who'll depart Kansas via the transfer portal this offseason, per Gary Bedore of the Wichita Eagle. Missouri Southern State's Cam Martin and Drake's Joseph Yesufu have joined the school via the portal.

The Jayhawks finished the 2020-21 season 21-9 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to USC.

To the victors go the spoils, and the Baylor Bears men's basketball team earned the right to celebrate with Monday's 86-70 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the national championship game.

On Tuesday, Baylor announced details for the celebratory parade that is scheduled for April 13.

It starts at 6 p.m. local time in Waco, Texas, at 14th Street and will follow Austin Avenue to 3rd Street before a 6:30 p.m. ceremony outside of City Hall. Head coach Scott Drew, some of the players and other special guests will address fans at the ceremony.

The school's announcement stressed the importance of practicing social distancing and wearing masks during the parade because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bears earned the parade with a dominant performance against the previously undefeated Zags. They also prevented Gonzaga from becoming the first men's team to win a championship and go undefeated since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers.

Baylor jumped out to a 19-point lead in the first half and never looked back.

Jared Butler (22 points), MaCio Teague (19 points), Davion Mitchell (15 points) and Adam Flagler (13 points) led the way in a balanced scoring effort, while the defense swarmed Gonzaga's ball-handlers and contested nearly every shot while setting the tone from the start.

Well, that was a bit anticlimactic.

The three games in the NCAA women's Final Four were decided by 12 combined points, while Jalen Suggs hit a buzzer-beater to push Gonzaga past UCLA in the men's semifinals. Monday night had little in the way of drama.

Baylor took control early and continued to dominate in the men's national championship, rolling past the Zags 86-70.

Jared Butler (22 points), MaCio Teague (19 points) and Davion Mitchell (15 points) all scored in double figures, while Mark Vital's 11 rebounds helped the Bears claim a 38-22 edge on the boards.

Butler was honored as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

The NCAA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols meant Baylor couldn't celebrate in the manner champions usually do. But that did little to dampen the Bears' enthusiasm as they basked in the program's first title.

The family of head coach Scott Drew was emotional while watching from the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Baylor won 21 games in Drew's first three seasons as it dealt with the fallout from the scandal surrounding his predecessor, Dave Bliss.

Drew steadily built the Bears up, getting them to the Elite Eight in 2010 and 2012. Monday represents his crowning achievement, and it probably won't be the last time the team is in the Final Four.

Mark Adams will take over as head coach of the Texas Tech men's basketball program following the hire of former head coach Chris Beard at Texas, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. 

Adams, a Texas Tech alum, is in his second stint on the Red Raiders coaching staff. He rejoined the program in 2016-17 as an assistant coach and was promoted to associate head coach before the 2019-20 campaign. 

Former Texas Tech assistant Ulric Maligi followed Beard to the Longhorns, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports. 

Adams was the director of basketball operations from 2013-15, for three of the four seasons that his son Luke Adams played on the team.

According to his team bio, Adams was heavily involved with the team's defense in his role as associate head coach, and under his guidance, the Red Raiders were regularly one of the top defensive units in the nation. 

He helped lead the team to the national championship in 2019, a year after the program reached the Elite Eight. 

He holds a 554-244 record through 23 seasons as a head coach with five different programs, with his last stint at the helm of a program coming from 2004-13 at Howard College. He led the 2010 team—which was headlined by Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder—to the NJCAA national championship and was named the NJCAA National Coach of the Year for his efforts. 

In 2017, he was inducted to the Wayland Baptist Hall of Fame in recognition of his work with the program from 1983-87.

Adams holds 15 Coach of the Year honors and has appeared in eight national tournaments (three NJCAA, three NAIA, two NCAA Division II). 

INDIANAPOLIS — For most of the 2020-21 season, Davion Mitchell has been considered the 1B to Jared Butler's 1A. While both Baylor Bears are well-respected players nationally, Butler has typically received the most recognition.

That narrative, however, has steadily changed in the 2021 men's NCAA tournament.

And it's nowhere close to bad news for the Baylor Bears.

Thanks to a 78-59 demolition of the Houston Cougars, Baylor is headed to the national championship. The Bears will play the Gonzaga Bulldogs or UCLA Bruins, who meet in the second national semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Butler and Mitchell both excelled in Saturday's win. Butler poured in all 17 of his points in Baylor's terrific first half, while Mitchell totaled 12 points and 11 assists. The objective here isn't to determine whether Mitchell has overtaken Butler or discuss a question better suited for an unanswerable debate.

Instead, this is deserved praise for Mitchell, an incredible all-around player who has ensured Baylor looks every bit the championship contender we've come to expect in 2020-21.

More than anything, Mitchell has embraced his ability to fly past defenders on the dribble in the NCAA tournament. Through five games, he's 21-of-35 on two-pointers. That's largely a product of attacking the rim in pick-and-roll sets.

That alone is valuable. However, his gravity as a ball-handler forces an incredibly tough choice for opponents.

Collapsing on Mitchell when he explodes into the paint may seem an obvious adjustment, but that's flawed, too. In five March Madness games, he's tallied 30 assists and only seven turnovers.

Besides, it would only create another problem.

For every defender that clogs the lane, it opens space on the perimeter. Baylor, which shot 11-of-24 from beyond the arc against Houston, ranks No. 1 nationally in three-point percentage.

You have to respect his dribble drive. But you also have to respect his passing. And he's Baylor's top three-point shooter. Mitchell, who's buried 45.3 percent of his triples this season, has become a complete nightmare to contain.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, he's scored or assisted on 38 percent of Baylor's points in the NCAA tournament

As if that's not enough, Mitchell is also a weapon on the other end.

Recently named the men's Defensive Player of the Year, he helped limit Arkansas star Moses Moody to 2-of-10 shooting in the Elite Eight. On Saturday, Mitchell played a key role in the Bears holding Houston star Quentin Grimes scoreless in the first half.

"We call him 'Off Night,' because people tend to have off nights with him," Baylor coach Scott Drew told reporters after the win over Arkansas.

Drew again praised Mitchell on Saturday, lauding his guard's two-way ability. That versatility has launched the program into its first appearance in the national championship since 1948.

In all likelihood, Baylor needs both Butler and Mitchell to thrive in order to win a title. That's been the case all season.

With this version of Mitchell, though, the Bears have somehow managed to become an even greater force on both ends of the court. And now, Baylor is one victory from the best news possible: cutting down the nets in Indianapolis.

Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Following Chris Beard's departure, Texas Tech is reportedly going to interview one of its most famous alums for the vacant men's head basketball coaching job. 

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Texas Tech has received permission from the Milwaukee Bucks to interview assistant coach Darvin Ham this weekend. 

Beard was officially introduced as the head coach at the University of Texas on Thursday.

Chip Brown of 247Sports reported that Beard agreed to a seven-year, $35 million contract to replace Shaka Smart. The 48-year-old graduated from Texas in 1995 and was a graduate assistant for the program under Tom Penders. 

Ham transferred to Texas Tech in 1993 after spending one season at Otero Junior College. He appeared in 90 games over three years with the Red Raiders and averaged 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. 

Since retiring from professional basketball as a player in 2008, Ham has been a coach for the past 13 seasons. He was a head coach for the 2010-11 season with the New Mexico Thuderbirds in the NBA G League. 

Ham has been one of Mike Budenholzer's top assistants dating back to 2013-14 with the Atlanta Hawks. He joined Budenholzer with the Bucks in 2018.

Texas Tech reached the national title game during the 2018-19 season with a 31-7 record. It made the NCAA tournament this season as a No. 6 seed but lost 68-66 to Arkansas in the second round.