Baylor MBB’s Akinjo Named to Wooden Award Late Season Top 20

[Roberts, Matt]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Jan. 31, 2022
Baylor MBB’s Akinjo Named to Wooden Award Late Season Top 20
Senior guard is in the running for National Player of the Year award
For more information contact: Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280, WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu<mailto:WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu>
WACO, Texas – Baylor senior guard James Akinjo has been named to the john R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 watch list, as selected by a panel of national college basketball experts and announced Monday evening on ESPNU.
Akinjo is one of two Big 12 players on the 20-member list, joining Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji. The 20 players are considered strong candidates for the 2022 John R. Wooden Men’s Player of the Year Award. Players not on the list are still eligible to be chosen to the 15-member Wooden Award National Ballot. Baylor’s Jared Butler was named to the Wooden Award National Ballot in each of the last two seasons.
The Oakland, Calif., native leads the Big 12 in assists (5.7/game), ranks 2nd in steals (2.2/game) and 11th in scoring (12.9/game). He also ranks 17th nationally in assists (5.6/game) and 16th nationally in steals (2.17/game).

Akinjo was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 3 after averaging 21.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals in wins at No. 10 Iowa State and against Northwestern State. He followed that up by winning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 10, with 23.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a pair of Baylor wins over Oklahoma and TCU.
The transfer from Arizona has posted 5+ assists in 14 of his 19 games played and recorded at least 1 steal in 18 of his 19 games at Baylor. He was also named to the Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team.
In addition to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20, Akinjo is also on the Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Lute Olson Award Midseason Watch List and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 10. Additionally, he was named to the Sporting News Midseason All-America First team.
Baylor returns to action on Monday at 8 p.m. CT when it hosts West Virginia at the Ferrell Center for the 95th-anniversary Immortal Ten Game. Jon Sciambi, Fran Fraschilla and Kris Budden will be on the call for ESPN. The Bears will finish the week with a top-10 matchup at No. 10 Kansas at 3 p.m. CT Saturday at Phog Allen Field House.
Follow @BaylorMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.
www.BaylorBears.com<http://www.BaylorBears.com>


Matt Roberts | Associate Director of Athletic Communications (MGOLF/ WGOLF)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-4206 | C: 254-709-2348

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