Baylor basketball is the number one team in the country for the first time in school history.
The Baylor Bears did not receive a single top 25 vote at the beginning of the season. No one expected them to be a true contender to Kansas and West Virginia at the top of the Big 12, never mind become the number one team in the nation in the latest AP Poll for the first time in school history.
It’s truly remarkable what Scott Drew and company have done this season. Yes, the Bears have a plethora of experience (all five starters are upperclassmen), but they don’t have any true upper-echelon recruits.
The Bears have the best resume in the nation though. They’ve beaten Oregon, VCU, Michigan State, Louisville, Xavier, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Oklahoma State already this season. Their only true road win is at Oklahoma (the Sooners aren’t what they were last year), but the Bears have taken care of business against some of the top teams in the country and are a likely challenger to the Jayhawks’ Big 12 title streak.
So what players have helped the Bears thrive this season? Who are the leaders of the roster and how would Busting Brackets grade the key contributors this year?
Does Johnathan Motley deserve an A+ for his consistency? Does Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. deserve a big time grade because of his defensive energy? And where do the bench players stand? Busting Brackets will break down the new number one team and their roster.
Forward Nuni Omot — C+
Nuni Omot is averaging a solid 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 14.2 minutes per game. However, Omot has played just 71 minutes and five total games. He missed the first eight outings due to an academic transfer issue and hasn’t played in the last two Big 12 match-ups (Iowa State and Oklahoma State).
Omot has received high praise from Johnathan Motley though, as he will give Baylor even more length and athleticism when he hits his stride.
"“He has length and incredible athleticism, and the ability to stretch the floor because he shoots the ball so well at 6-9,” Motley said. “He’s just an awesome athlete. He’ll add more athleticism than we already have. He’ll add length to our defensive lineup. It will be good when he puts it all together.”"
If Omot can raise his shooting percentages (41/29/82) and consistently be in the lineup, he could be an asset in the front court. For now, we’ll give him a C+.
Guard Wendell Mitchell — B-
‘Chucky’ Mitchell only plays 10.7 minutes per game, but for the little time he gets on the floor, Mitchell averages a solid 3.6 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists. But most importantly, I love the fire and toughness that Mitchell brings off the bench, which helps him earn this B- grade.
Mitchell is not going to score the basketball, rebound or distribute at a high level, but he will bring aggressiveness and intensity on the defensive end of the floor. He does the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
Guard King McClure — B-
Like ‘Chucky’ Mitchell, King McClure earns a B- because of how well he plays in his limited role. McClure averages 4.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 12.1 minutes per game. He shoots 43 percent from beyond the arc and 31 percent from beyond the three point line.
In addition to his overall stats, McClure had the biggest game of his career on one of the biggest stages of the season thus far for Baylor. In a come from beyond victory against Louisville in the Bahamas, McClure scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 19 minutes. He dominated the second half, drilling two big threes and playing tough defense.
Guard Jake Lindsey — B
Jake Lindsey is anything but flashy. He’s not going to blow you away with his speed or physical traits, but what he does do is he gives Scott Drew a high IQ guard who can push Manu Lecomte off the ball. He is a solid passer, has good size (6’5″) and is an excellent on-ball defender.
On the season, Lindsey is averaging 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 20.3 minutes per game. He is one of the first guys off the bench for Drew and is a typical ‘glue guy.’
Forward Terry Maston — B
Terry Maston is averaging 8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. He is a solid rebounder, finishes with high efficiency around the rim and is a big physical body that gives Baylor a different dimension off the bench.
Unlike Jo Lual-Acuil Jr., who loves to run the floor and block shots, Maston is a player who makes a living as a bruiser.
Against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Maston was in the game down the stretch over Lual-Acuil. He played 22 total minutes, adding 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds (two on the offensive end). If he can keep up that production moving forward, he’ll have an even bigger role on this team.
The reason he only earns a B? He missed a shoot around, forcing Scott Drew to keep him on the bench against Southern. It was an easy win for the Bears, but this is something to watch moving forward.
Guard Al Freeman — B+
When you look at the overall body of work of Al Freeman this season, you see that he’s the third leading scorer on a team that is ranked number one in the country. He’s putting up 11.1 points, grabbing 2.6 rebounds and is shooting 48 percent from the floor and 43 percent from long range.
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But when looking deeper, Freeman has been very inconsistent, especially as of late. He’s scored in single digits six times so far this season, including three times in his last three games. Oh and don’t forget, those last three games were the only Big 12 match-ups that Baylor has participated in so far this season.
Against Oklahoma, Iowa State and Oklahoma State (all wins), Freeman has averaged only 23 minutes. As a junior and one of the veterans on this roster, Baylor needs him to be much better if they’re going to challenge Kansas atop the league.
Guard Manu Lecomte — A-
Miami transfer Manu Lecomte is not the best point guard in the Big 12 (that honor goes to Frank Mason III), but he has surely been a huge addition for Scott Drew.
With Lester Medford graduating following last season, the Bears needed a steady guard who could both score and make plays for his teammates. Lecomte has been exactly that guy.
He’s averaging 11.8 points (2nd on the team), 4.9 assists (1st on the team) and 1.2 steals per game (2nd on the team). He’s also shooting a solid 43 percent from the field overall and 38 percent from beyond the arc.
Lecomte doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he changes directions nicely, has perfected his floater and has been sensational late in games because of his free-throw shooting (80 percent).
Forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. — A-
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. sat out all of last season because of a heart condition. This year, he has played a pivotal role with the Bears and is one of the top rim protectors in the country.
Lual-Acuil averages 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and blocks an astounding 3.5 shots per game. He is terrific at running the floor in transition (finishing alley-oops and put backs) and is always the last line of defense in Baylor’s zone. His length, athleticism and defensive prowess allows the guards on the perimeter to gamble.
In Baylor’s win against Oregon, Lual-Acuil had his breakout party. He single-handily won the game for the Bears on the defensive end the floor, grabbing 14 rebounds and notching SEVEN blocks.
Guard Ishmail Wainwright — A
You all must be saying, ‘Wait, why is he giving the team’s seventh leading scorer an A?’
Again, look deeper than just the stats.
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While Wainwright is only averaging 5.5 points, is only shooting 39 percent from the field and is only hitting 29 percent of his threes, he impacts the game in numerous ways and is the leader of the entire roster.
The 6’5″ senior guard rebounds, distributes, plays tough defense and is excellent at the free throw line. He makes all the little plays as a high IQ “coach on the floor.”
Wainwright also versatile on both ends of the floor. He can guard multiple positions and impacts the game with his length and aggressive mentality on defense. On offense, he can play both the two or three and occasionally take the ball up the floor.
After watching the Bears up close during their trip to the Bahamas, it’s evident how important his voice is. He is the rock for this Baylor team. When things go wrong, Wainwright is not going to panic, which in turn makes others comfortable with their positioning as a unit. Against Louisville, the Bears weren’t pointing fingers when they were trailing by 22. Instead, Wainwright gathered them for huddles during dead balls and helped everyone keep their heads up in order to spark a comeback.
It may sound like nothing from the outside, but if you ask Scott Drew how critical Wainwright is, he’ll tell you he’s the most important player on the roster.
Forward Johnathan Motley — A
While Ish Wainwright is the most important player on the Baylor roster, Johnathan Motley is the best player.
Motley went from a sophomore that was inconsistent and all potential based, to a well-rounded junior that is finally putting his skills together. The 6’10” forward has scored in double figures just twice so far this season, has recorded six doubles (including four straight) and is averaging 15.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
In my eyes, Motley is a National Player of the Year candidate. He’s certainly not in the class of Josh Hart or Frank Mason III, but he has been the top player on one of the best teams in the country. He won the MVP in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, including scoring 26 points and grabbing six rebounds in a then-upset of Michigan State.
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Most importantly, Motley is producing in Big 12 games. He has 62 points and 46 rebounds in four Big 12 match-ups so far.