Here Come the BasketBears Pt. 2

The guards will be running the show this season, no doubt. But Jalen Bridges proved the last two seasons that the team also needs to have some taller guys out there for length, rebounding, and even more shooting. While Baylor didn’t replace the wing rebounding that Bridges brought (especially on the offensive end), the shooting on the way should do just fine.

Baylor has a nice mix of proven talent and potential on the wing this year. And lest we be without a Jalen this season, the Bears have brought in Jalen Celestine from Cal. As a 6’ 7” sniper, he will be a potent weapon across several different lineup combinations. With a 44% tall guy on the wing, Drew has the luxury to put Celestine at the three in bigger lineups and at the four when he wants to spread the floor and go small. Celestine hasn’t shown to be a reliable rebounder, though, which could make those small lineups vulnerable on the glass. Expect to see him paired with Norchad Omier if Drew does put Celestine at the power forward spot. Otherwise, Celestine could be a fantastic small forward spotting up all around the arc or coming off baseline screens when Josh Ojianwuna and Omier share the floor. Imagine the floppy sets that could be run with those three 🤤.

For the hoop-heads:

Now, I’m not saying Drew is going to wad up his patented ball screen offense. But I am saying that Celestine is the sort of shooter with size that can unlock some pretty neat offense, even with two (mostly) non-shooters on the floor.

Also coming off the bench is Baylor’s third star freshman Jason Asemota. We live in luxurious times, friends. He’s lanky while being compact with his shot, which bodes well for his chances to get minutes, as long as his defense is up to par. He’s certainly being billed as a very toolsy player.

Oddly, it’s these two forwards whose minutes may be most affected by Love’s return. Drew has been saying for a couple of seasons that he sees Love as capable of playing the four if he keeps his rebounding up. That could be a lot to ask of a guy whose body has regularly failed him, but it’s also the way to get one of your best players on the floor. My money is that Celestine can carve out a role with his shooting, while Asemota plays a smaller role and prepares to be a high level sophomore next season. But Asemota absolutely has the talent to make an impact this year if things break right.