Pac-12 Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

Cole Bajema – 6’7 Guard/Forward – Utah Utes

Cole Bajema is another intraconference mover as he moves from the Washington Huskies to the Utah Utes within the Pac-12 ranks. He’s a versatile name that continues to improve as the years progress in his college basketball career. He began his career back in 2019-20 in the Big Ten as a member of the Michigan Wolverines.

Bajema joined the Pac-12 back in the 2020-21 season with the Huskies, mainly as a reserve, appearing in 56 games and starting once, during his first two seasons. This past season, he blossomed in a starting role, averaging career-highs with 8.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg on 36 percent shooting from behind the arc.

His 49 3-pointers made this past season ranked him 19th in the Pac-12. He knocked down a career-high 18 points back on January 9, 2022, off the bench for the Huskies in a loss to Colorado. He went 6-for-7 from 3-point land and his six made 3-pointers were also a career-high.

Off the bench, he’s proved his worth as a shotmaker on the perimeter. As a starter, he’s shown he can mix things up in the painted area and up his rebounding production. At 6-foot-7, he’s capable of operating as a guard and can stretch the floor at the forward spot for Utah when needed.

Though he isn’t a volume-scorer, he’ll have his opportunities to blend well with their roster, as they return seven players from last year’s squad. They finished 10-10 in the conference standings and 17-15 overall in Year 2 under Craig Smith. With Bajema in the fold, they’ll look to turn a corner and play spoiler in the process.