Busting Brackets
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Baylor Basketball: 2019-20 season review of the Bears

By Dave Ackert

WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: The Baylor Bears huddle during play against the Kansas Jayhawks at Ferrell Center on February 22, 2020 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: The Baylor Bears huddle during play against the Kansas Jayhawks at Ferrell Center on February 22, 2020 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 21: Freddie Gillespie #33 and Mark Vital #11 of the Baylor Bears (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 21: Freddie Gillespie #33 and Mark Vital #11 of the Baylor Bears (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Key players for the season

This team had everything; All-American defenders, transfers, walk-on’s, seniors and maybe most importantly, “They had more guards than Buckingham Palace!” –Fran Fraschilla

G Jared Butler is the first name normally mentioned, and rightfully so. Butler led the team in scoring, was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team player, and proved to be an NBA talent either now or in the future, and is currently declared for the NBA Draft.

G MaCio Teague finished the season leading the team in Minutes Played and FT% while being honored as an All-Big 12 Second Team and Newcomer Team player. Teague has also declared for the NBA Draft.

G Davion Mitchell led the team in Assists and racked up national honors including being a Semi-Finalist in the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award along with All-Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Big 12 Third Team.

G Devonte Bandoo is the reason for the excitement at the depth of Guards at Baylor. He was honored with the Big 12 Sixth Man Award and came off the bench leading the team in 3-Point Percentage hitting 38.5% of his long-range shots! His ability and humility to come off the bench in his senior season are one of the many reasons this team sat as the best in the country for weeks.

Aside from the plethora of guards, many others helped lead this team to the top of the sport…

Mark Vital was a do-everything, glue-guy, lock-down-your-best-guy, little-Rico like, hustling maniac! He was a Finalist in the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. He also led the team in Steals and was a unanimous Big 12 All-Defensive Team player as well as an All-Big 12 Third Team player.

Freddie Gillespie may have one of the most surprising and interesting stories in all of college basketball. He played a total of 16 minutes as a D-III athlete, walked on the Baylor Basketball team and found himself leading one of the best teams in Division I in Rebounding and Blocks! Someone who is known for putting in the hard work and working on fundamentals is now seen as a “sleeper” from many NBA scouts. He was named the Big 12 Most Improved Player and honored on the All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

One last one…

Obim Okeke – A man you may not know from looking at the stat sheet, but ask anyone around the program and they will tell you this Senior was one of the most important people on the team. He deserves a very special shout out here for being one of the first people to speak up and uplift the team when the news of the season-ending short was handed to the locker room. JOY!

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