NCAA Basketball: 5 biggest losers of the 2022 offseason (so far)

Baylor Bears

When the Baylor Bears became the first No. 1 seed to lose in the NCAA Tournament, it was the start of a transitional offseason for the program.

Baylor has lost a lot since their elimination, most of it unexpected or not entirely expected. Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan both fled for the draft. James Akinjo is in the draft pool as well.

The most painful loss, however, may have been the unexpected transfer of Matthew Mayer, a player who really embodied the soul of Scott Drew’s teams in recent years. Mayer hasn’t latched on anywhere yet and it’s possible he returns, but there are a ton of suitors for him.

It’s easy to forget, but the Bears also lost a long-time member of their coaching staff. After 19 seasons working under Drew, Jerome Tang decided to go out on his own with another conference team, the Kansas State Wildcats.

Like the other teams on this list, Baylor should still be solid next year. Drew has built a sustainable model of success in Waco. LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler are still around. The Bears also landed the top shooting guard of the Class of 2022 in Keyonte George.

Baylor would’ve been a national title contender without the unexpected departures of its star freshmen and most prominent player. They still may be, but it’ll be harder than expected after that offseason.