Akinjo Named First-Team Midseason All-American by Sporting News

WACO, Texas – Baylor senior guard James Akinjo was named to the Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team on Thursday.

Akinjo is one of two Big 12 players on the three teams and the only first-team member from the conference. He was joined by Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji, who made the second team.

After transferring from Arizona, Akinjo leads the Big 12 with 5.7 assists per game while averaging 13.9 points per game, tied for the team lead with LJ Cryer. That scoring mark is good for 8th best in the conference.

He also ranks third in the conference with 2.06 steals per game, fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.83), and seventh in field goal percentage (.434).

Akinjo has earned both Big 12 Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors this season, in back-to-back weeks no less.

He missed Tuesday’s win at West Virginia while recovering from a tailbone injury, but has scored 14+ points in eight of his last nine games played.

Baylor Men's Basketball will return to action on Saturday, with a trip to Norman to close out its season series with Oklahoma at 2 PM CT on ESPN+. The Bears defeated the Sooners, 84-74, in Waco on Jan. 4, a game where Akinjo scored 27 points and registered 5 assists.