Baylor Basketball: Examining the impact of landing Arizona G James Akinjo

After cutting down the nets 18 days ago, Baylor Basketball is looking to reload during the off-season.  One of the glaring differences for this upcoming year is the experience and explosiveness the backcourt brought.

The Bears get a little of it back, within the transfer portal, the same way that they found Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague. Baylor hit the jackpot once again, by acquiring Arizona guard James Akinjo.

Akinjo has traveled halfway across the country during his tenure in college, first playing for Georgetown, alongside Mac McClung. He then transferred to Arizona for the 2020-2021 season. After an underwhelming season from the Wildcats and Sean Miller parting ways with the program, Akinjo was on the hunt for another program to potentially finish his career with.

Considering the pedigree of guards from a year ago, Akinjo decided to join the fray and join a group of youthful, yet talented players.

As a Junior, Akinjo averaged 15.6 points per game, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds, on 40% from the three-point line. Akinjo has a number of accolades, including being Big East Rookie of the Year, alongside First Team All-Pac 12 this past season.

While looking through highlights and drawing comparisons, it’s not hard to find one other than Kenny Chery. Both are terrific passers, below-average frame, and can score from beyond the arc. Chery nailed 37% of his three-pointers his senior year, while Akinjo hit 40%.

If Akinjo’s waiver is cleared and gets immediate eligibility, it can help the Bears in a big way. Here are three aspects of Akinjo’s game to watch out for, heading into his future at Baylor.