By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
Pretty much every time Norchard Omier steps on a basketball court, he’s a man among boys.
The 6-foot-7, 240-pound big man transferred to Baylor this offseason after spending the past two seasons in Miami, where he led the Hurricanes to a Final Four berth, averaged a 15-point double-double and made grown men look like really tall mannequins.
Let's talk about that rim pressure.
Omier shot 59.8% on 9.4 2PA per game in 2023-24. Sometimes, that meant tough inside finishes for a struggling Miami team with little spacing. Other times, he just completely overpowered guys.
(This defender is currently listed at 6'10, 254!) pic.twitter.com/OcNRzXCuyo
— Jackson Posey ✞ (@ByJacksonPosey) October 15, 2024
Omier’s greatest strength is, well, his strength. He’s consistently overpowered opponents, even back to his Arkansas State days, where he averaged 12.6 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as a true freshman in 2020-21. As he’s continued to develop, he’s built up even more rim gravity, particularly as a screener, where his lob-finishing ability will make Baylor’s pick-and-rolls even more deadly.
Omier especially shines in the screen game. He's certainly comfortable popping, but watch out for a continuation of the Yves Missi lob-finishing role. It's pretty much impossible to stop, especially with a savvy point guard with 3PT range (ahem, Jeremy Roach). pic.twitter.com/eGk5tpksl8
— Jackson Posey ✞ (@ByJacksonPosey) October 15, 2024
With equal comfort popping beyond the arc as rolling to the rim, Omier’s burgeoning three-point ability has added an intriguing new aspect to his game. He’d never attempted even half a three-pointer per game before last season, when he ramped up to 35.3% on 2.2 attempts per game. It doesn’t seem like a fluke: his free-throw percentage has climbed every season of his career, cresting at 75% last year.
Another look at the shooting — Here we see a lot of above-the-key perimeter movement, reminiscent of Scott Drew's looping base set we see a lot in Waco. Omier looks fully confident here pick-and-popping on the first possession of a road game against No. 9 North Carolina. Buckets. pic.twitter.com/5jDOns91zR
— Jackson Posey ✞ (@ByJacksonPosey) October 15, 2024
The extension of the jump shot out to the perimeter has revolutionized Omier’s already imposing offensive game. Because of his strength and mobility, defenders already had to guard him at the three-point line to prevent him from building up steam on the way to the basket. But now that he can shoot, defenders are in a lose-lose situation.
These two clips perfectly sum up Omier's upside: nimble enough to exert his massive rim gravity from the perimeter, but a good enough shooter that defenders can't sag off.
Even when the shot isn't falling, his strength forces defenders to close out; Julius Randle-style spacing. pic.twitter.com/Adzk2Q0dC7
— Jackson Posey ✞ (@ByJacksonPosey) October 15, 2024
Omier is mobile enough (and has enough of a handle) to run the break in transition, which opens up the potential for some thrilling seven-seconds-or-less offense in small-ball lineups with freshman guard VJ Edgecombe streaking up the perimeter. Junior forward Josh Ojianwuna will likely start the season at center, but Omier should get plenty of minutes at the five, especially against smaller teams in non-conference play.
Omier's movement skills really show up in the transition game, where he's fully comfortable running the break. Could lead to a lot of *really* fun up-tempo basketball alongside freak athletes like VJ Edgecombe. pic.twitter.com/7ZV8pXIG15
— Jackson Posey ✞ (@ByJacksonPosey) October 15, 2024
Head coach Scott Drew hasn’t been able to coach many players with Omier’s unique skill set, which at times feels reminiscent of a right-handed Julius Randle. His combination of rim pressure and mobility are unmatched by nearly any other big man in the country, and if Ojianwuna’s post defense improves enough to allow Omier to gamble more on the defensive end, the Bears could quickly find themselves with one of the most high-octane offenses in America.
Omier isn’t a perfect prospect by any means. He’s a bit of a positional chameleon due to his size, while the shot and interior defense are still relative question marks. But the four-time all-conference member pairs like wine with fellow graduate transfer Jeremy Roach, as Bears will lean on their experience as the team builds chemistry early on.
Much has been said about historic “thunder and lightning” duos, from Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. Norchad Omier bottles both elements into his imposing, surprisingly nimble 240-pound frame. With Omier, Roach and Edgecombe in tow, Baylor’s new offense could be Drew’s most electric yet.
