Baylor Lands Second 2015 Commit, Big Man Joseph Acuil

After losing his version of the twin towers in the post at Baylor in Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson, head coach Scott Drew has landed yet another towering big man in 7’0” power forward Joseph Acuil. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Acuil will be taking his talents to Waco from Neosho County Community College, where he averaged 11.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 rejections per game as a freshman.

As Baylor’s second 2015 commitment, along with four-star shooting guard King McClure, Acuil will bring to Baylor a stature and skill-set that may remind many of the former Bears’ star, Isaiah Austin. Along with his 7-foot frame, Acuil is a lanky and slender post presence that finds his comfort on the boards and ruining the oppositions shooting percentage.

His offensive arsenal, on the other hand, could undoubtedly use some major touch-ups. Acuil doesn’t possess any true go-to moves in the post, although he will get his fair share of looks from the rebounds he is sure to come up with.

In addition to what looks he will get from put-back attempts, he’ll see a decent amount of looks from the charity stripe, where he shot 72 percent considering his size at power forward will force some defenders to foul in order to defend him around the basket.

Although his size alone will ensure he is able to see the court his first season at Baylor, it would be a long shot to assume he can come in and have the same productivity he did in community college, given the talent level and competitiveness of the Big 12 conference alone. That said, it’s unlikely that Acuil will ever develop into a star or dominating presence for Baylor unless he sees some rapid development before he steps on campus before the 2015-16 season, but he does have the size and big man skills that can, at absolute least, make him a valued bench asset for the Bears.

Only time will tell if Baylor can reel in another prospect around his size who could come in and provide cause for concern for Acuil’s playing time, but as of now, fans in Waco should be trilled with their latest 2015 commitment.

News first reported by Brad Winston of JucoRecruiting.com