Baylor Gears Up for Second Half with 7-Footer James Nnaji Set to Join the Fold
WACO, Texas - Baylor’s already tight-knit, seven-man rotation is about to get a major boost - and a big one at that. The Bears are preparing to welcome 7-footer James Nnaji into the program, though he won’t be suiting up just yet.
Nnaji, whose signing was announced on Christmas Eve, still has to clear physicals and get up to speed with the playbook before he can hit the floor. But the anticipation is real - and for good reason.
“He has to go through his physical and get everything evaluated,” head coach Scott Drew said. “Obviously, we’re not going to teach him everything in the first day, but he can’t play until he knows what he’s doing out there.”
Translation: Baylor knows what it has in Nnaji - a physically gifted big with NBA measurables - but they’re not rushing the process. And that patience could pay off in a big way for a team that’s been operating with a razor-thin frontcourt.
Right now, the Bears’ only true big man is 6-foot-10 Rice transfer Caden Powell, who’s been a steady presence with 6.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Freshman Mayo Soyoye is redshirting, and 6-11 transfer Juslin Bodo Bodo is out for the year with an arm injury. Throw in the absence of guard JJ White, and it’s clear Baylor needed to make a move at the semester break.
“Every coach is going to try to add the best player they can get that fits the team and the culture,” Drew said. “James is a great young man... someone with a 7-foot frame, 7-7 wingspan, 255 pounds.
That’s why he was drafted high. Now, can his production meet his potential?”
That’s the big question. Nnaji brings a pro-ready frame and defensive upside, but integrating a new piece midseason - especially in college hoops, where systems vary widely - takes time.
As Drew noted, this isn’t the NBA, where offenses are often similar and players can plug in quickly. In the college game, spacing is different, zone defenses are more common, and the learning curve can be steep.
Still, the Bears are embracing the challenge - and the opportunity.
Sophomore guard Cameron Carr, who transferred in midseason last year from Tennessee, knows what Nnaji is walking into. Carr’s been one of the breakout stars of the season, averaging 21.7 points and 5.6 rebounds, and ranks 11th nationally in scoring. He also knows what it feels like to be the new guy.
“I got a lot of hate for it, so you’ve got to kind of accept the role that you step into and know that it’s not going to be easy,” Carr said. “There are going to be negative opinions and all that stuff, but we’re here with open arms, ready to accept him. We’re excited to have him and just get to meet him and learn how he plays.”
Senior wing Dan Skillings Jr. echoed that sentiment. The Cincinnati transfer, who’s averaging 11.8 points and 7.3 boards, made it clear that the only opinions that matter are inside the Baylor locker room.
“We’ll get to work, and we’ll get him acclimated with all our players and everything like that and make him really comfortable,” Skillings said.
The signing did raise some eyebrows around the college basketball world - including from Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, a longtime friend of Drew’s. Izzo publicly criticized the move, pointing to the NCAA’s role in the current transfer landscape.
But Drew, ever the diplomat, said he and Izzo had a “great conversation” and agreed on the bigger picture.
“Most coaches are 99% aligned on things we’d like to see get done with our game,” Drew said. “Until we get to collective bargaining, I don’t think we can come up with rules that are agreeable and enforceable. Until that, I think all of us have to be ready to adjust and adapt to what’s out there.”
In the meantime, Drew is focused on integrating Nnaji the right way - not just quickly. He compared the process to baking: you can’t rush a cake and expect it to come out right.
“Our team is going to be much better a couple weeks from now,” Drew said. “Until that point, what can [Nnaji] add or help until he gets caught up to speed?”
Defensively, Nnaji could make an immediate impact. Baylor has struggled on that end of the floor, ranking 247th nationally in scoring defense (76.2 ppg), 170th in field goal percentage defense (43.4%), and 132nd in defensive rebounds per game (26.0). Nnaji’s size and length could be a difference-maker, especially when paired with Powell.
Carr sees the potential.
“Him and Caden are going to be a very, very powerful force when it comes to a really good big man group,” Carr said. “Caden is a really good vocal leader... and [Nnaji] can probably teach Caden some things, because he’s been playing basketball a long time.”
Off the court, Skillings had a big Christmas break of his own - proposing to former Cincinnati cheerleader Hayley Leonard and getting engaged.
“Really excited, now I’m a fiancé,” Skillings said. “Over Christmas break, just enjoying that time with her and spending some time with family as well, it was a blessing.”
Now, it’s back to business. Baylor returns to action Monday afternoon against Arlington Baptist, a team that’s dropped five straight and enters the matchup at 2-8. The Patriots compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association and have wins over Paul Quinn College and Centenary.
For Baylor, it’s a tune-up game - a chance to shake off the holiday rust and get back in rhythm before Big 12 play ramps up.
“Hopefully, everyone got a little bit of work in,” Skillings said. “It’s good to have a game to come back, just to get up on our feet and get ready... get our fatigue back, get back in condition. Hopefully, we come out with a win and we’re feeling good as a team and back in rhythm.”
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Foster Pavilion. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with John Morris and Baylor Hall of Famer Pat Nunley on the call.