James Akinjo may be bouncing to his third college in three years, but he has a knack for picking his spots.
After becoming the Big East’s Freshman of the Year in 2018-19 at Georgetown, Akinjo left early in the 2019-20 season to transfer to Arizona, where he averaged 34.9 minutes a game last season and became a first-team All-Pac-12 pick.
Now, while also testing the NBA Draft waters, Akinjo announced Friday he would transfer to Baylor, where he can play for a defending national champion team that is expecting to lose its top three guards to the NBA in Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague.
Mitchell is a projected lottery pick who has already declared for the draft, while Butler is also expected to leave after becoming the MOP of the Final Four. Teague is also expected to leave, though he has a fifth year of eligibility remaining.
Akinjo signaled the move by posting a picture of himself in a Baylor uniform to Instagram on Friday, a week after he entered the transfer portal.
Akinjo was central to the Wildcats’ success last season, averaging 15.6 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 40.8% from 3-point range. But he might not have as much of a featured offensive role next season, if Kerr Kriisa, Bennedict Mathurin and Dalen Terry all built on their freshman seasons.
Akinjo also appeared to have a strong bond with former UA coach Sean Miller, who was fired on April 7. Miller repeatedly called Akinjo the Wildcats’ “heart and soul” last season, while Akinjo was among the Wildcats posting to social media after Miller was fired on April 7.
“Appreciate BIG CAT!! My guy,” Akinjo said on Instagram.
Akinjo’s commitment to Baylor might improve the Wildcats’ chances of landing four-star 2021 point guard TyTy Washington of Phoenix Compass Prep, since Baylor was also one of Washington’s six finalists.
Washington is also considering Kansas, Kentucky, LSU and Oregon, and told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi that new UA coach Tommy Lloyd has been FaceTiming him twice a day, and that playing near home would be convenient for his family.
If Lloyd is able to retain all of the remaining Wildcats on the current roster, Akinjo will be the only late-season starter not to return. In the Wildcats’ final game of the season, Miller also started Kriisa, Mathurin, Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko, all of whom have participated in offseason workouts with Lloyd last week.
Overall, the Wildcats have 10 players lined up as of now for next season, counting fall signees Shane Nowell and Shane Dezonie, who remain tentative.
