Louisville and Kentucky came calling for Scott Drew, and Baylor had to fight ’em off for the best coach in program history. To do so, Baylor’s brass buffed up the resources for Drew to compete in the college basketball arms race.
The fruit of that labor is showing.
Baylor is on the precipice of two massive transfer portal moves. Baylor has emerged as the leader for Duke transfer Jeremy Roach, sources confirmed to 247Sports on Thursday afternoon. This comes just days after Tennessee big man Jonas Aidoo made plans to visit Baylor this weekend, according to 247Sports’ Travis Branham.
Baylor now owns 247Sports Crystal Ball selections for both Roach and Aidoo.
Drew is on the verge of landing two proven, impact players with multiple years of high-level, power-five experience. That is a rarity. It would immediately become one of the biggest transfer portal coups in the 2024 cycle and one of the top two-man hauls since the birth of the transfer portal in 2018.
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Roach’s camp did plenty of homework on potential landing spots before he entered the transfer portal. Baylor quickly vaulted to the top of the very short list because the fit makes a ton of sense on paper.
Former Bear point guard RayJ Dennis is out of eligibility, so Drew coveted another veteran shot-maker to pair with Langston Love, Jayden Nunn, Miro Little and incoming freshmen VJ Edgecombe and Rob Wright.
Roach, with his over 4,000 career minutes, certainly qualifies as a vet. Plus, guards like Adam Flagler, Keyonte George, Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague have had career-best seasons in recent history under Drew. Baylor has the National Championship banner from 2021, but it’s been a top-25 offense in college basketball in 15 of the past 17 seasons. This proof of concept stretches far past just a year or two.
Roach would be in position to waltz into a starring role. Roach’s best asset is his ability to play both on or off the ball. He shot a career-best 43% from downtown last season at Duke. He’s highly dangerous in pick-and-rolls. Roach is only additive and doesn’t detract from anything offensively, and he’s developed a reputation as a Big Dance assassin. “March Jeremy Roach” is real.
But it’s more than just plugging an important backcourt hole.
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Baylor has been very active in the big man market with prized freshman Yves Missi off to the 2024 NBA Draft. Aidoo to Baylor would be an excellent pickup for the Bears. He is one of the best big men available in the transfer portal. He has size, experience, athleticism and the ability to be a two-way terror.
Aidoo played in 90 games in Tennessee and made 45 starts. Last season, Aidoo averaged 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Aidoo shot over 64% at the rim, per Synergy. Aidoo’s defense was also outstanding. Top-100 opponents shot just 53% at the rim against Tennessee when Aidoo was on the floor.
Aidoo also has plenty of skill in his bag. Aidoo’s passing chops off the short roll are mesmerizing. He’s got a feathery touch in the paint, and he can step out and splash a jumper. There are some fair physicality questions. So are some of the concerns about his motor. But a locked-in Aidoo is terrific was one of the best players in the SEC last season, period. When that engine wasn’t revving, he found himself on the pine.
Baylor was already a major offseason winner after keeping Drew in the fold when the sharks smelled blood in the water. But if the Bears can seal the deal with Aidoo and Roach, Baylor could have a strong case for the No. 1 offseason in the country.
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