The defending national champions are reloading their roster. Arizona Wildcat’s junior guard James Akinjo is headed to the Baylor Bears. This news comes after the guard decided to transfer out of the program following the firing of Head Coach Sean Miller. This will be Akinjo’s third school following the drama he decided to leave behind at the Georgetown Hoya’s program. He was a highly sought-after transfer during both of the periods he spent in the Transfer Portal.
The big question will be whether Akinjo can play immediately next season. Received a waiver to play right away at Arizona after leaving Georgetown. https://t.co/k6UieWB2yy
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 23, 2021
Akinjo is seriously talented and if he’s granted immediate eligibility he should be a day one starter for Head Coach Scott Drew. The new eligibility rule will not automatically apply to the guard because he was granted immediate eligibility to play at Arizona. Sean Miller being fired could help his case when he applies with the NCAA for immediate eligibility to play with Baylor. This is a seriously talented player coming in for the 2021 National Champions who lost several talented players to the NBA or graduation.
His third year in college basketball was spent with Arizona where he averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 37.9 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. Akinjo is a talented guard and could play even better under a talented head coach like Scott Drew. He fits well into this system and could keep the Baylor Bears near the top of the Big 12 and NCAA. The new Baylor Bear guard has had a rough journey in the NCAA and hopefully, this landing spot will be a perfect fit for him and the program.
