By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
Coming off another second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, Baylor men’s basketball is up and running after its first fall practice on Tuesday ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Captained by head coach Scott Drew, the Bears hustled through the offseason and are headed back into the lab to prepare for another year of Baylor hoops.
“We like all the intangibles that this group brings,” Drew said. “They’ve practiced hard. They brought energy. They’ve been close. They like one another. If those characteristics continue throughout the heart of the season and the ups and downs, the successes and adversity, we’re going to be really good.”
Drew gets to reset and rebuild the Baylor identity as he enters his 21st season at the helm of the program. While key pieces in graduate forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, senior forward Jalen Bridges, senior forward Caleb Lohner and redshirt sophomore guard Langston Love returned to Baylor, the team also welcomed seven new faces in the summer.
“You have a lot of different pieces out there and a lot of potential, and as a coach, you’re always excited about working with guys that you haven’t had a chance with and seeing how much you can improve them,” Drew said. “I know we have a lot of pride in what our program has been built on and the ‘Culture of Joy‘ and just continuing to make that platform bigger each and every year.”
The longtime head coach will develop a loaded freshman class headlined by guard Miro Little, forward Ja’Kobe Walter and center Yves Missi. In addition, there were big-name transfers in senior guard RayJ Dennis, who came to Waco from Boise State, and junior guard Jayden Nunn, who chose Baylor after starting his career with VCU.
During the offseason, the team took a multi-week trip to France to test out its skill and get used to playing on the floor alongside each other. Facing tough competition that represented a modern brand of basketball, the Bears grew before true practice even started.
“The trip was really fun. It was really beneficial,” Dennis said. “Being able to go on the floor and test drive the car a little bit, get it out on the road, it was really fun. I think we have a special group here.”
The Bears showed off their ability on the court as well as their experience and chemistry.
“I think in three or four months, when we’re in the middle of the season, what we experienced together on that trip is going to hold us together,” Lohner said. “I love this group, and I’m really excited to see what we’re going to do.”
The experience built strong bonds both on and off the court, which helped all 14 players on the roster find their own room to “cook,” according to Tchamwa Tchatchoua.
“I’ve connected with everybody on the team, and I feel like this team doesn’t have any cliques or groups,” Tchamwa Tchatchoua said. “We’ve all been together as brothers, and I really like that. All the newcomers, I’ve enjoyed the fact that I’m able to create some kind of connection and relationship with them from the get-go.”
The sentiment was echoed by all players, with the close nature of the team being key to navigating and propelling season-long success.
“I’ve gelled with everybody here,” redshirt junior guard Dantwan Grimes said. “Everybody has a good personality, and everybody wants to learn and grow. It makes it easier to be able to know what guys want and know what they’re looking for and get everybody involved.”
As smiles spread and anticipation builds, Baylor men’s basketball started the first official practice of the season in the Ferrell Center for the last time. With aspirations of winning the last game of the season, the Bears will move game-by-game through an exciting season that will transfer to a new home down the Brazos River at the Foster Pavilion.
Headlined by stiff competition, the green and gold ramp up for the real deal as nonconference feuds against Auburn, Oregon State, Seton Hall, Michigan State, Duke and more fill up a fall schedule that should in theory prepare for a tough spring against Big 12 foes.
“We’ve always tried to play a challenging nonconference schedule,” Drew said. “Our players want to play that, and our fans want to see that. Most of all, that gets us ready for what we’re going to face in conference.”
The Bears open the season on Nov. 7 with a neutral-site battle against Auburn at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Baylor’s home opener is set against Gardner-Webb at 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 in the Ferrell Center.
