By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
No. 20 Baylor men’s basketball trailed Auburn by nine points at halftime on Tuesday. Then, the Bears — and their 11-man rotation — turned on the jets.
Five-star freshman guard Ja’Kobe Walter took the reins early and often, scoring a school freshman-debut record of 28 points and six rebounds on 7 of 13 shooting (four of seven from 3-point land and 10 for 10 on free throws). Walter’s smooth shooting stroke and unflappable focus at the release point, particularly off movement, were evident on pull-ups and off-ball screening action. He’s a legitimate No. 1 scoring option with a sky-high ceiling.
Two clips that display the range of Ja'Kobe Walter's shot-making prowess:
1. Isos for a deep, contested off the dribble 3-pointer
2. Runs off a screen, sets his feet, and fires
Walter is capable of much more beyond scoring, and has a chance to be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft. https://t.co/4vJNK8CfZH pic.twitter.com/glpEXx15cV
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 8, 2023
But Walter wasn’t the only standout freshman on the team. Four-star center Yves Missi, who reclassified to join the Bears a year early, scored in double figures and nabbed two blocks and two steals. While splitting minutes with graduate student forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and sophomore forward Josh Ojianwuna, Missi showed off his vertical and lateral athleticism, sturdy screen-setting and constant presence as a lob threat. He also made one of the most absurd plays of this young season.
YVES 🤯#SicEm | #CultureofJOY pic.twitter.com/mmNIQE6k4u
— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 8, 2023
Toledo transfer and senior point guard RayJ Dennis dropped 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor, extending his streak of games scoring in the double figures to 50. Dennis settled down after some early troubles with Auburn’s aggressive pressing defense, as Dennis didn’t record a turnover in the second half after notching a career-high seven in the first, and his lethal floater proved to be a needed change of pace from an otherwise jump shot-reliant team.
Despite his shots not falling, fellow transfer and junior guard Jayden Nunn of VCU did all the little things right. One of the better point-of-attack defenders in the country, he finished with seven points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Nunn and Baylor’s lone returning starter, senior forward Jalen Bridges (13 points, eight rebounds), bring a combination of defensive prowess and hustle to the Bears.
Other returning players also made steps forward. Senior forward Caleb Lohner displayed improved hands and was a +1 in 12 minutes off the bench. Ojianwuna, who showed flashes of theoretical movement ability last season, has flashed more of that potential. Redshirt sophomore guard Langston Love hit multiple big shots down the stretch to finish with 10 points.
The list goes on. This team is loaded, with a lineup that runs 11 men deep and is highlighted by a quartet — maybe even a quintet — of NBA Draft prospects at the top. With only four returning rotation players, this team could take a while to gel. But it has the talent to make a run at a Big 12 championship and more. If Baylor plays like the team that closed out Tuesday’s win over Auburn, head coach Scott Drew’s Bears are good enough to take down anyone in the country.
