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Kentucky transfer Jemarl Baker Jr. has been granted a waiver by the NCAA and will be eligible to play for the Arizona Wildcats in 2019-20 instead of having to sit out a year.
After redshirting with a knee injury in 2017-18, Baker averaged 2.3 points per game in 28 contests at Kentucky last season, shooting 33 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3, and 73 percent from the line.
The 6-foot-4 Baker should provide shooting and scoring on the wing, and could possibly start at the 2 and back up Nico Mannion at the 1, helping Arizona make up for the loss of Brandon Williams, who is out for the year after undergoing knee surgery.
We are excited to have Jemarl Baker eligible to play this season. We would like to thank the NCAA for their consideration of Jemarl’s unique situation, and we appreciate the University of Kentucky’s support throughout this process. #BearDown
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) October 31, 2019
“That guy is a bucket,” said UA forward Ira Lee, who was travel ball teammates with Baker. “I call him Old Man Buckets, but that’s my partner in crime. We used to do some damage in high school and to have him here now is exciting, plus he’s my roommate too. A lot of people don’t know that. He’s my roommate. He’s one of my best friends. So it’s great to have him.
“He can do it all. He can score at all three levels, man. Floaters, mid-range, step backs, 3s, especially 3s. You’ll see he’s a pure shooter.”
Here is a closer look at what Baker brings the Wildcats.