Can the Baylor Bears Men's Basketball Team Reclaim Their Championship Form This Season?
As I sit down to analyze the Baylor Bears' prospects this season, I can't help but reflect on how much the landscape of college basketball has transformed since their triumphant 2021 championship run. Having followed this program for over a decade, I've witnessed both their glorious peaks and frustrating valleys. This season presents a particularly fascinating case study in program rebuilding and championship DNA. The question isn't just whether Baylor can win games—they've consistently done that under Scott Drew—but whether they can recapture that special championship chemistry that propelled them to the pinnacle of college basketball just three seasons ago.
When I look at this year's roster, I see both reasons for optimism and legitimate concerns. The backcourt remains exceptionally strong with LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler returning, combining for approximately 28 points per game last season. Their backcourt depth reminds me somewhat of what made that 2021 team so special—multiple ball handlers who can create their own shots and defend aggressively. However, what's been missing since that championship season is that undeniable "it factor"—the clutch gene that saw them win numerous close games during their title run. Last season's 23-11 record wasn't disappointing by any means, but for a program that has tasted championship glory, anything short of Final Four contention feels incomplete.
The reference to the Blue Eagles having their "Filipino version of a Jayson Tatum" actually resonates more with Baylor's situation than one might initially think. What made Baylor's championship team special wasn't just having talented players—it was having players who perfectly complemented each other's skills, much like how Tatum fits within the Celtics' system. For Baylor to reclaim their championship form, they don't necessarily need a superstar of Tatum's caliber, but they do need players who understand and embrace their roles within the system. What I've noticed in their early season performances is that they're still searching for that perfect chemistry—the kind where players instinctively know where their teammates will be in crucial moments.
From my perspective as someone who's studied championship teams across different eras, Baylor's biggest challenge isn't talent—it's reconstructing that defensive identity that made them so formidable in 2021. That team held opponents to just 39% shooting from the field, an astonishing number in today's offense-heavy college game. This season, they're allowing around 43% shooting, which isn't terrible but represents a significant drop from their championship standard. Having watched every game this season, I can pinpoint exactly where the defensive breakdowns occur—transition defense has been particularly problematic, with opponents scoring approximately 14 fast-break points per game against them.
Offensively, there's plenty to like about this team. The addition of Keyonte George has given them a dynamic scoring threat they've lacked since Jared Butler departed for the NBA. George is averaging about 17 points per game, but what impresses me more is his court vision and ability to create for others. However, I've noticed he tends to force shots in late-clock situations, something that needs refinement as the season progresses. The Bears are shooting around 37% from three-point range as a team, which ranks among the nation's top 40 programs, but their two-point percentage has dipped to about 49%, down from 54% during their championship season.
What really concerns me—and this might be controversial—is whether Scott Drew can recreate the magical adjustments he made during that championship run. I've always believed Drew is among the top five coaches in college basketball, but even great coaches sometimes struggle to replicate past successes. His decision to implement the no-middle defense in 2021 was revolutionary for their program, but opponents have since adapted. This season, I'm watching closely to see if he can introduce new strategic wrinkles that might catch the rest of the Big 12 off guard.
The Big 12 conference presents perhaps the toughest challenge. With Kansas looking dominant again and Texas assembling what might be their most talented roster in years, Baylor's path back to championship contention runs through what I consider the nation's most brutal conference schedule. Having analyzed their remaining fixtures, I count at least twelve games against currently ranked opponents. That's both a blessing and a curse—it provides opportunities for quality wins but also risks wearing down a team before tournament time.
Recruiting has never been better for Baylor, which gives me confidence about their long-term prospects. They're bringing in what multiple services rank as a top-5 recruiting class next season. But championship windows in college basketball can close quickly, and with several key players likely departing after this season, the pressure is on to make something special happen now. From my conversations with people around the program, there's a palpable sense that this group understands the urgency.
When I compare this Baylor team to other programs that have successfully reclaimed championship status—like North Carolina in 2022 after their disappointing 2021 season—the common denominator seems to be veteran leadership combined with strategic innovation. Baylor has the veterans, but I'm not yet convinced they've made the strategic leaps necessary to separate themselves from the pack. Their offensive sets sometimes look stagnant against elite defenses, and their late-game execution has been questionable in their two losses this season.
As we approach conference play, I'm looking for specific indicators that might signal a return to championship form. Can they maintain defensive intensity for full possessions, not just partial ones? Will they develop more consistency in their half-court offense? Most importantly, can they find that clutch factor that defined their 2021 run? I've seen flashes of it—particularly in their comeback win against UCLA—but championship teams display it night after night.
Ultimately, my assessment—and I say this as someone who genuinely admires what Scott Drew has built—is that this Baylor team is probably one piece away from true championship contention. They have the coaching, the backcourt talent, and the program infrastructure to make a deep tournament run. But to truly reclaim that championship form, they need to either develop or discover a player who can consistently create high-percentage shots against elite defenses in crunch time. The foundation is there, the culture remains strong, but the final piece of the puzzle still seems to be missing. I'd put their chances of making the Final Four at about 25%—respectable, but not yet where they were during that magical 2021 season.