WELCOMING PARTY
12/29/2025 12:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bears’ seven-man rotation inviting 7-footer Nnaji ‘with open arms’
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Baylor basketball's little tight-knit seven-man rotation is more than ready to welcome 7-footer James Nnaji as one of their own . . . as soon as he's ready.
Just not in time for Monday's 3 p.m. matchup at Foster Pavilion against Arlington Baptist (2-8), the first game for the Bears (9-2) since a 111-67 win over Southern on Dec. 21.
"He has to go through his physical and get everything evaluated," Baylor 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."
Nnaji fills a glaring need for the Bears, who have only one true big man – 6-10 Rice transfer Caden Powell (6.4 ppg 7.9 rebounds) – in what has been a seven-man rotation. True freshman Mayo Soyoye is redshirting this season, while 6-11 High Point transfer Juslin Bodo Bodo will miss the rest of the season with an arm injury.
"With three guys out (including guard JJ White), we knew we needed to add someone at semester (break)," Drew said. "Every coach is going to try to add the best player they can get, that fits the team, that fits the culture. James is a great young man, raised in the church . . . somebody that obviously has great measurables – 7-7 wingspan, 255 (pounds), 7-foot. That's why he was drafted high. Now, can his production meet his potential?"
A midyear transfer last season from Tennessee, 6-5 sophomore Cameron Carr (21.7 ppg, 5.6 rebounds) said he felt like "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."
"There are going to be negative opinions and all that stuff," said Carr, who ranks 11th nationally in scoring average, "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 transfer Dan Skillings Jr. (11.8 ppg, 7.3 rebounds) said it doesn't matter "what outsiders think or what their opinions are."
"The only opinions that matter are us and Baylor basketball," Skillings said. "We'll keep it at that. We'll get to work, and we'll get him acclimated with all our players and everything like that and make him really comfortable."
Some of the criticism of Baylor signing Nnaji, which was announced on Christmas Eve, came from legendary Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. A friend of Drew's, Izzo said, "If that's what we're going through, shame on the NCAA; shame on the coaches, too. But shame on the NCAA, because coaches are going to do what they've got to do."
Drew said he had a "great conversation" with Izzo, who "I've got a lot of respect for."
"As (Izzo) said, most coaches are 99% aligned on things we'd like to see get done with our game," Drew said. "At the same time, from my knowledge, 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 wo what's out there."
Unlike pro basketball, where "the offenses are similar and things can get picked up really quick, because everyone is doing a lot of the same things," Drew said the spacing is different in college basketball and "you've got a lot of different zones and defenses to learn . . . and more offenses to learn."
Comparing Nnaji's transition to Christmas baking, Drew said "a cake has to get to the finish line."
"Same thing with anything you're baking," Drew said. "With us, our team is going to much better a couple weeks from now. And until that point, what can (Nnaji) add or help until he gets caught up to speed?"
With his size and wingspan, Nnaji could make his biggest impact on defense. The Bears are ranked 247th in the nation in scoring defense (76.2 ppg), 170th in field goal percentage defense (43.4) and 132nd in defensive rebounds per game (26.0).
"I think it's a unique situation that he's stepping into," Carr said. "Him and Caden are going to be a very, very powerful force when it comes to a really good big man group. Over time, I think they're going to be able to pick things up off each other. Caden is a really good vocal leader, so I feel like that's something (Nnaji) can pick up from Caden. And he can probably teach Caden some things, because he's been playing basketball a long time."
Skillings was also busy over the Christmas break, proposing and getting engaged to former Cincinnati cheerleader Hayley Leonard.
"That's something I've been waiting on for a while now," Skillings said. "Not a lot of people knew. Really excited, now I'm a fiancée. Over Christmas break, just enjoying that time with her and spending some time with family as well, it was a blessing. Thanking the Lord for that and letting that happen for me."
Returning from an extended Christmas break, the Bears will play an Arlington Baptist team that competes in the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Patriots have lost five in a row, with their only wins this season coming against Paul Quinn College and Centenary.
"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 strength back, get our fatigue back, get back in condition the next couple days and get a game in. Hopefully, we come out with a win and we're feeling good as a team and back in rhythm before Big 12 play."
Monday's game will be streamed by ESPN+, with "Voice of the Bears" John Morris and Baylor Hall of Famer Pat Nunley calling the action.
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Baylor basketball's little tight-knit seven-man rotation is more than ready to welcome 7-footer James Nnaji as one of their own . . . as soon as he's ready.
Just not in time for Monday's 3 p.m. matchup at Foster Pavilion against Arlington Baptist (2-8), the first game for the Bears (9-2) since a 111-67 win over Southern on Dec. 21.
"He has to go through his physical and get everything evaluated," Baylor 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."
Nnaji fills a glaring need for the Bears, who have only one true big man – 6-10 Rice transfer Caden Powell (6.4 ppg 7.9 rebounds) – in what has been a seven-man rotation. True freshman Mayo Soyoye is redshirting this season, while 6-11 High Point transfer Juslin Bodo Bodo will miss the rest of the season with an arm injury.
"With three guys out (including guard JJ White), we knew we needed to add someone at semester (break)," Drew said. "Every coach is going to try to add the best player they can get, that fits the team, that fits the culture. James is a great young man, raised in the church . . . somebody that obviously has great measurables – 7-7 wingspan, 255 (pounds), 7-foot. That's why he was drafted high. Now, can his production meet his potential?"
A midyear transfer last season from Tennessee, 6-5 sophomore Cameron Carr (21.7 ppg, 5.6 rebounds) said he felt like "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."
"There are going to be negative opinions and all that stuff," said Carr, who ranks 11th nationally in scoring average, "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 transfer Dan Skillings Jr. (11.8 ppg, 7.3 rebounds) said it doesn't matter "what outsiders think or what their opinions are."
"The only opinions that matter are us and Baylor basketball," Skillings said. "We'll keep it at that. We'll get to work, and we'll get him acclimated with all our players and everything like that and make him really comfortable."
Some of the criticism of Baylor signing Nnaji, which was announced on Christmas Eve, came from legendary Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. A friend of Drew's, Izzo said, "If that's what we're going through, shame on the NCAA; shame on the coaches, too. But shame on the NCAA, because coaches are going to do what they've got to do."
Drew said he had a "great conversation" with Izzo, who "I've got a lot of respect for."
"As (Izzo) said, most coaches are 99% aligned on things we'd like to see get done with our game," Drew said. "At the same time, from my knowledge, 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 wo what's out there."
Unlike pro basketball, where "the offenses are similar and things can get picked up really quick, because everyone is doing a lot of the same things," Drew said the spacing is different in college basketball and "you've got a lot of different zones and defenses to learn . . . and more offenses to learn."
Comparing Nnaji's transition to Christmas baking, Drew said "a cake has to get to the finish line."
"Same thing with anything you're baking," Drew said. "With us, our team is going to much better a couple weeks from now. And until that point, what can (Nnaji) add or help until he gets caught up to speed?"
With his size and wingspan, Nnaji could make his biggest impact on defense. The Bears are ranked 247th in the nation in scoring defense (76.2 ppg), 170th in field goal percentage defense (43.4) and 132nd in defensive rebounds per game (26.0).
"I think it's a unique situation that he's stepping into," Carr said. "Him and Caden are going to be a very, very powerful force when it comes to a really good big man group. Over time, I think they're going to be able to pick things up off each other. Caden is a really good vocal leader, so I feel like that's something (Nnaji) can pick up from Caden. And he can probably teach Caden some things, because he's been playing basketball a long time."
Skillings was also busy over the Christmas break, proposing and getting engaged to former Cincinnati cheerleader Hayley Leonard.
"That's something I've been waiting on for a while now," Skillings said. "Not a lot of people knew. Really excited, now I'm a fiancée. Over Christmas break, just enjoying that time with her and spending some time with family as well, it was a blessing. Thanking the Lord for that and letting that happen for me."
Returning from an extended Christmas break, the Bears will play an Arlington Baptist team that competes in the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Patriots have lost five in a row, with their only wins this season coming against Paul Quinn College and Centenary.
"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 strength back, get our fatigue back, get back in condition the next couple days and get a game in. Hopefully, we come out with a win and we're feeling good as a team and back in rhythm before Big 12 play."
Monday's game will be streamed by ESPN+, with "Voice of the Bears" John Morris and Baylor Hall of Famer Pat Nunley calling the action.
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