A New Face in College Basketball: James Nnaji's Debut

James Nnaji, a 7-foot center and former NBA draft pick, stepped onto the college basketball court for the first time on Saturday. His debut came in Baylor's 69-63 loss to TCU, marking the start of the Big 12 conference season for both teams.

Nnaji's Background and Performance

Nnaji, who was picked 31st in the 2023 NBA draft, has not played in an official NBA game. He did participate in the summer league that year and was later involved in a three-team trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. After playing in Europe for the past couple of years, Nnaji is now suiting up for the Bears.

In his first game, Nnaji scored five points in 16 minutes. He also grabbed four rebounds before fouling out with 4:42 remaining in the game. The crowd's reaction was mixed, with boos from TCU fans and cheers from Baylor supporters every time he touched the ball.

Coach Drew's Insights

Baylor coach Scott Drew explained that Nnaji joined the team late due to season-ending injuries.

"He got here after Christmas. He has not played 5-on-5 since the summer. So, if you take seven months off, it's going to take some time."

TCU's Performance

TCU's Micah Robinson led the scoring with 13 points, and Xavier Edmonds added 12. Liutauras Lelevicius and David Punch each scored 11 points for the Horned Frogs, who ended a five-game home losing streak in the series. Robinson also finished with 10 rebounds.

Baylor's Struggles

Baylor, which had been averaging 96 points per game, was held to a season low in points while shooting just 37%. Cameron Carr scored 17 points, and Dan Skillings Jr. added 13 for the Bears. Despite trailing for just 10 seconds, Baylor had two chances to score when the deficit was down to four in the final two minutes, but both attempts failed.

Upcoming Game

Nnaji and the Bears will face No. 3 Iowa State at home on Wednesday.