Predicting the Baylor Bears' starting 5 going into the 2025-2026 season
With the college football season in effect, many forget that the college basketball season is right around the corner, with many teams playing exhibition and preseason games at the end of October into early November. When it comes to the Bears, head coach Scott Drew is back for another season with the Bears, and after a disappointing Round of 32 blowout to the Duke Blue Devils, Drew and company are ready to make some noise in the Big 12.
However, the composition of Drew's roster is going to look quite different from the 2024-2025 season, with 0 returning players on the roster. Whether it was losing players to the NBA, or seeing players leave in the transfer portal, the Bears have a ton of new faces in Waco. Below, I reveal my predictions for what I think the Bears' starting 5 could look like on day 1 of their season.
Point Guard: JJ White
A fifth-year transfer from Omaha and a former Summit League First-Team member, White is a true playmaker who makes everyone around him better. When looking at key statistics, the big one is that White led the Summit League in assists last season with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Not only is his playmaking ability impressive, but White can also put the ball on the court and score, averaging 13.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.6 rebounds.
Shooting Guard: Obi Agbim
A transfer from the University of Wyoming and a former All-Mountain West Third Team member, Agbim is a pure bucket getter. In his last season at Wyoming, Agbim averaged 17.6 points and 3.4 assists while shooting an impressive 47% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc. If Scott Drew needs someone to go out there and score 25+ points, Agbim is his guy. While there may be questions about how the competition he played while at Wyoming will translate to the Big 12, Agbim will have the opportunity to showcase his talent.
Small Forward: Tounde Yessoufou
When people think about Baylor basketball, they often associate the team with a true star guard, such as VJ Edgecomb, Davion Mitchell, JaKobe Walter, and many other talented guards to come through the program. This year, the name to watch is Tounde Yessoufou. A five-star and one of the top 15 players in the country, Yessoufou fits the mold of the past Baylor greats who are now in the NBA: a strong, two-way guard who can get to the rim and has incredible bounce. Yessoufou's potential is limitless, and he has the ability and talent to be one of the best freshmen in the country.
Power Forward: Michael Rataj
A transfer from Oregon State University, a Karl Malone Award Top-10 honoree last year, and an All-West Coast Conference First Team member, Rataj is a true do-it-all player. While Rataj is not really a power forward and is more of a larger guard, his length and size can allow him to guard the four position. If Rataj is known for anything, it has to be his scoring, having scored in double-figures 28 times in 32 games, and is only 42 points shy of 1,000 career points.
Center: Juslin Bodo Bodo
Last but certainly not least, the 6-foot-11-inch center from High Point University, and the 2025 Big South Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, Bodo Bodo, is the interior presence that will anchor this Baylor starting 5. While at High Point, Bodo Bodo was an incredible rebounder, specifically on the offensive side of the ball, and rim protector, something that was lacking from Baylor last season. With Bodo Bodo at the center position, Baylor has a true interior presence that will be hard for most Big 12 centers to compete with.
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Josh started covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Prior to Baylor Bears on SI, he worked as an intern for TheMichiganInsider at 247Sports. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, where his passion for collegiate athletics continued to grow after attending his first game in The Big House. Combining his analytical background and his affinity for collegiate sports, Josh enjoys providing his unique perspective on the shifting dynamic equilibrium of the collegiate athletics landscape. When not watching sports, Josh enjoys cooking a nice meal, running, and traveling to new places with his friends and family.