Baylor MBB’s James Akinjo Named Big 12 Player of the Week

[Kaye, David]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Jan. 3, 2022

Baylor MBB’s James Akinjo Named Big 12 Player of the Week
Bears’ first conference Player of the Week honoree for the 2021-22 season
For more information contact: David Kaye, 254-709-5147, David_Kaye at baylor.edu<mailto:David_Kaye at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor senior guard James Akinjo picked up Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors, as announced Monday by the conference office.

The transfer from Arizona had a big week to help the Bears run the nation’s longest winning streak to 19 games. Akinjo filled up the stat sheet averaging 21.5 points, 6.0 assists and 2.5 steals in a pair of Baylor wins.

The Oakland, Calif., native capped his week with a team-high 16-points in a road win at No. 8 Iowa State to help Baylor move to 9-0 against top-10 teams since the start of the 2020-21 season. Akinjo was 6-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-2 from long range on his way to a fifth-straight game with 14+ points.

Akinjo started the week strong with a career-high 27 points to go along with nine assists, five rebounds and four steals in a 104-68 Baylor victory over Northwestern State. He was just one assist shy of his third double-double of the season.

Akinjo, the Big 12 Conference leader in assists and steals, is Baylor’s first conference Player of the Week honoree for the 2021-22 season, and the first since Macio Teague won the award on March 8, 2021. This is the first Big 12 weekly honor for the former Big East Freshman of the Year and All PAC-12 first-teamer. He is the 27th different Baylor player to win conference player of the week honors.

Akinjo and the Bears will return to action on Tuesday, hosting the Oklahoma Sooners in a 6 p.m. CT tip at the Ferrell Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and the ESPN app, with Jon Sciambi, Fran Fraschilla and Kris Budden calling the action.

Follow @BaylorMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates throughout the year.

BAYLOR BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOREES
1997 – Patrick Hunter (2/17)
1998 – Patrick Hunter (1/4)
1998 – Brian Skinner (1/11)
1999 – Kish Lewis (11/24)
2000 – Terry Black (1/3)
2001 – Terry Black (2/19)
2003 – Lawrence Roberts (2/17)
2008 – Curtis Jerrells (11/19)
2008 – Kevin Rogers (12/24)
2008 – Curtis Jerrells (1/28)
2008 – Kevin Rogers (3/3)
2010 – LaceDarius Dunn (11/16)
2010 – LaceDarius Dunn (1/4)
2010 – Ekpe Udoh (1/11)
2010 – LaceDarius Dunn (2/15)
2012 – Perry Jones III (12/19)
2012 – Perry Jones III (1/16)
2013 – Cory Jefferson (11/12)
2013 – Pierre Jackson (1/28)
2013 – Pierre Jackson (3/10)
2014 – Cory Jefferson (12/2)
2014 – Isaiah Austin (2/17)
2014 – Cory Jefferson (2/24)
2014 – Kenny Chery (3/9)
2015 – Rico Gathers (1/26)
2015 – Rico Gathers (2/9)
2016 – Rico Gathers (11/16)
2016 – Taurean Prince (12/7)
2016 – Johnathan Motley (2/22)
2017 – Johnathan Motley (11/28)
2017 – Manu Lecomte (12/5)
2017 – Johnathan Motley (1/9)
2017 – Johnathan Motley (1/23)
2018 – Manu Lecomte (2/12)
2018 – Terry Maston (2/19)
2019 – Tristan Clark (12/31)
2019 – King McClure (1/21)
2019 – Makai Mason (2/4)
2020 – Jared Butler (11/25)
2020 – Freddie Gillespie (12/9)
2020 – Jared Butler (1/13)
2021 – Jared Butler (1/25)
2021 – Davion Mitchell (2/1)
2021 – MaCio Teague (3/8)
2022 – James Akinjo (1/3)

2021-22 BAYLOR MBB HONORS
James Akinjo
2021 Battle 4 Atlantis MVP
Big 12 Player of the Week (Jan. 3)
Naismith Trophy Watch List
Preseason All-America Honorable Mention (The Athletic)
Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
No. 67 on CBS’ Top 100 Players for 2021-22

Kendall Brown
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 20)
2021 Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team
Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year

Adam Flagler
Naismith Trophy Watch List
Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List
Preseason All-America Honorable Mention (The Athletic)
Luke Olson Award Watch List
No. 12 on The Athletic’s Top 20 Guards for 2021-22
No. 38 on CBS’ Top 100 Players for 2021-22

Matthew Mayer
Naismith Trophy Watch List
Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
No. 29 on CBS’ Top 100 Players for 2021-22


www.BaylorBears.com


--

David Kaye | Assistant AD for Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-709-5147

[signature_1049805336]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20220103/5f64d260/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 20338 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20220103/5f64d260/attachment-0001.png>