21-04-2025
Jalen Celestine comes to Cincinnati Bearcats basketball from Baylor
After a visit that began Saturday, April 12 during the University of Cincinnati Spring Showcase football scrimmage and Big 12 baseball game, the UC Bearcats basketball team has added another player from the transfer portal.
Jalen Celestine, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound guard from Baylor has joined the 2025-26 Wes Miller Bearcats after briefly taking a visit to Santa Clara. Celestine madeit official April 21 on social media. In essence, the Bearcats swapped wings with Baylor as Dan Skillings Jr. signed with Scott Drew's Bears after committing April 15. Baylor's entire 2024-25 roster either left for the NBA draft, eligibility reasons or the transfer portal.
Baylor Bears guard Jalen Celestine (32) attempts a three-point shot against Cincinnati Bearcats forward Dillon Mitchell (23) in the first half at Fifth Third Arena Feb. 25.
Celestine played in 31 games for Baylor last season and started 11, averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. He shot 38% from the floor and 35% from the perimeter. In his one game against UC Feb. 25, he had eight points and seven rebounds, while making 2-of-4 treys. His high game of the season was early in the year when he had 20 points against Tarleton State. He had six points and eight boards in Baylor's NCAA tournament win over Mississippi State.
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Celestine played for the California Golden Bears before Baylor averaging 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds with 23 starts in 27 games in 2023-24. He shot 45% from the field there and 44% from deep.
March 21: Baylor guard Jalen Celestine goes up for a shot against Mississippi State guard Riley Kugel (2) and forward RJ Melendez (22) during the first half of the first round of the men's NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
He missed 2022-23 with a knee injury, but averaged 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds his sophomore year at Cal with 16 starts in 31 games. In 22 games and five starts as a freshman, he averaged 2.8 points and 1.7 rebounds. Celestine is a career 38% shooter from the 3-point line. He is a native Canadian from Ajax, Ontario but played high school ball at Long Island Lutheran in New York.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats hoops adds Baylor wing Jalen Celestine in portal
