A few weeks ago Baylor Men’s Basketball senior G Adam Flagler, freshman G Keynote George, and junior G LJ Cryer collectively composed the Bears trio earning 2022-23 All-Big 12 Preseason honors. The conference’s head coaches all vote on the All-Big 12 teams with each coach forbidden from voting for their own athlete. In the trio, Flagler snagged a spot on the All-Big 12 Team, George was named Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and Cryer and George were both picked as All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selections. George is Baylor’s second consecutive Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year, making the Bears “just the third program in Big 12 history to have back-to-back winners,” according to Baylor Athletics’ Jerry Hill (papa). Each of the guards in the Baylor trio is wildly talented and should excite all Bears fans in the coming months. Flagler has already been in the news this preseason with his most current honor being named to the 2023 Jerry West Preseason Watch List! According to the Columbia Basin Herald, “named after Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.”
Flagler initially entered the NBA Draft after the end of last season, but thankfully just one month later, he declared he’d return to Baylor for his final season in the green and gold! Speaking to ESPN about the decision, Flagler said, “I heard exactly what I needed to be able to show more of what the NBA is looking for, so that this time next year, I will be preparing to get drafted.” Last season, Flagler shot 156 of 356 (43.8%) of field goals, 75-194 (38.7%) of 3s, and 40 of 54 (74.1%) of free throws with 68 rebounds, 94 assists, 34 steals, and 427 points (averaging 13.8 points/game).
