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A kid from Aurora, Nebraska enrolled at South Dakota State in the fall of 2019, after not getting large scholarship offers from either of the in-state high-major Division-1 teams. Scheierman was unranked by 247 Sports out of high school — flash forward three years later, the same website would go on to rank Scheierman the third-best transfer in a portal of over 1,000 players.
It goes under-appreciated what Scheierman has done, both for Creighton and in his total collegiate career as a whole. Most of that is likely due to him only being at Creighton for two years. But in year one, he was an integral part of the first Elite Eight appearance Creighton has had in the modern era. As for this year, he leads Creighton in scoring, and ranks third in the entire conference (18.5 ppg). He also ranks second in rebounding in the conference (8.9 rpg), and first in three-point shots made.
His career accomplishments are possibly even more special, and quite unique. He is the only player in college basketball history to tally 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists, and 300 made 3's in his career. Making him statistically one of the most well-rounded, complete players in recent memory. He also has scored over 1,000 points at two different schools, one of just 11 players to ever accomplish that feat.
Scheierman is a finalist for the Julius Erving Award for the country's best small forward. The award goes back to 2015, and Scheierman is Creighton's only ever finalist. He also has a good chance to take home Big East Player of the Year honors, and would be the second Bluejay player to ever capture the award.
Since 1994, here is where Scheierman sits as far as career totals in comparison with Creighton's history (data includes his time at SDSU):
Points - Second most (Baylor at 2,141, McDermott leads with 3,150)
3PM - Second most (Baylor at 339, Korver leads with 371)
3P% - Fifth highest (Baylor at 39.0%, Korver leads at 45.3%)
Rebounds - Most all time
Rebounds per game - Most all time
Assists - Second most (Baylor at 562, Ryan Sears leads at 570)
Evan Miyakowski created his analytics site in 2012, evanmiya.com, and it has widely become one of the most respected in the college hoops atmosphere. Two total Creighton players have been in the top 13 players in the country in a certain year since the site's launch. Their names? Baylor Scheierman (2022-23) and Baylor Scheierman (2023-24). That's right, his total BPR (weighing offense and defensive output equally) is the highest for a Creighton player, at least since 2012 according to Evan Miya. Analytically, Baylor has to be considered one of the very best to ever wear the blue and white.
He can defend 2 through 4 at an exceptionally high level. The defensive efforts get overshadowed because of his pure shooting abilities, but he can defend. And what's more, he defends his best down the stretch. Shots taken by a Scheierman-guarded opponent are connecting at just a 37% clip in the final five minutes of a game.
Creighton's defensive scheme relies heavily on the ability to defend without fouling. Scheierman fits into this narrative perfectly, averaging only 1.7 fouls per 40 minutes. He is able to stay on the floor without fouling at an impressive level. Ironically, the country's lowest FC/40 belongs to Max Zegarowski at Stonehill, brother of Bluejay icon Marcus Zegarowski.
His toughness and physicality are what sets him apart, though. When coming over from SDSU, most Creighton fans viewed him primarily as a shooter. A guy that will drill triples at a high clip, and passes the basketball well. That's what the tape showed.
What the tape didn't show is the will to win, and a warrior's mentality. Scheierman has played 38 or more minutes in 14/19 conference games (74% of the time). That's more than anyone in the conference. It was especially highlighted in a triple overtime win over Seton Hall in January, where Scheierman never once left the court. 55 minutes. And at the end of the game, he was still defending at a high level. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, every time out.
Baylor has become the de facto emotional leader of the team. He's not afraid to get into wars, and wants to be the one with the ball in his hands with the game clock winding down. That's a leader. That's someone to whom this fanbase owes a lot of respect. In the video below, credits to John Fanta, Scheierman notes that Pete Maravich is his favorite hooper of all time. You can see a bit of Pete in him, if you look for it. He's a flashy passer at times, and a more than willing and obviously capable shooter.
Scheierman's consistency also leaps off the page this season. He has scored in double digits every game but one, and has recorded 14 double-doubles. He also hung the first P-R-A triple-double in Creighton basketball history in a win over Georgetown. Perhaps most impressively, Baylor has hit 3+ three pointers in eighteen games this season. That's more than anyone in the country who shoots it at 37% or better.
I'm not here to debate that Baylor Scheierman is the best player Creighton fans have ever seen — there's a guy who used to wear #3 that was pretty good, if I'm remembering correctly. But I implore Creighton fans to recognize and appreciate the greatness that is before them. These special types of individual seasons don't come around too often, appreciate it while you can.
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