Watching from Boston ahead of Friday night’s matchup with the Celtics, Pelicans guard Trey Alexander reacted the same way as everyone else when Baylor Scheierman caught fire at Madison Square Garden.
He didn’t think he was going to miss.
Scheierman poured in a season-high 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting, drilling six threes (one off his career high), with 17 of those points coming in the second half.
“I was like — I didn’t think he was gonna miss the whole game,” Alexander told WEEI.com. “But I mean, I’ve seen it firsthand in college, so I know how hot he can get. It was fun to see. There were some Baylor bombs out there last night. So I was excited to see that.”
“Baylor bombs” is what they used to call it at Creighton University.
Scheierman and Alexander were teammates during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, part of a loaded Bluejays group that sent four players to the NBA — including Ryan Kalkbrenner and Ryan Nembhard. That 2022-23 team made a run to the Elite Eight before falling to San Diego State in a heartbreaking finish, committing a foul in the final seconds of the game, giving the Aztecs a chance to win at the free-throw line.
“I think it’s one of the biggest what-ifs in college basketball history. I mean, with the San Diego State game, the foul at the end of that game, they got to make a free throw with it with no time left. I feel like we would have won the national championship that year.” Alexander said.
Even so, what stands out more now is what came after.
“But, I mean, just to see how everybody branched out, and we were all able to make it to the highest level,” said Alexander. “It’s a blessing to even be a part of that. But also, to see how cool it is. Like we were all going out together in Nebraska, Omaha, like the middle of nowhere — and then for us to all have our dreams come to fruition, it’s just huge. So it’s been a blessing to see everybody do their thing. And I’m just glad that I get to be a friend with all those guys and also be able to watch it.”
Now both in their second NBA seasons, Alexander and Scheierman still talk nearly every day, a relationship that hasn’t changed much, even as everything else has.
“At the end of the day, we’re friends, and this is just what we do for a living, and we’re blessed to be in the position that we are in,” Alexander said. “I tell him I’m proud of him. We repost everybody’s stuff and stuff like that. So I’m glad that he was able to get hot [in New York] and have a game like he did.”
Scheierman has carved out a key role in Boston’s rotation, impacting the game with his defense, rebounding, and timely shooting. His value goes well beyond his box score averages of 5.2 points on 45.6% shooting (39.7% from three), along with 3.4 rebounds and 1.4
assists in 76 games.
None of it surprises Alexander.
“For Baylor to be playing the quality minutes that he is, and to be doing what he’s doing with those minutes, it’s crazy to see, and it’s fun to see,” Alexander said. “I’m just proud of him.”
And in Alexander’s eyes, it all comes back to the same thing.
The work.
“I mean, it’s just hard work. I’ve seen how he’s worked in college, and then I can only imagine his work now that he’s been in the league,” he said. “To see all that kind of come to fruition for him, it’s a blessing for him, and it’s great for me to see. I love seeing it.”
