Creighton Professional Athletes

Baylor Scheierman isn't sneaking up on anyone anymore.

The former Bluejay has carved out a legitimate role in Boston's rotation, and Wednesday's win over Oklahoma City — one of the NBA's premier teams — offered the clearest proof yet. Scheierman put up 11 points, 5 rebounds, and a +11 plus-minus in just 19 minutes as the Celtics handled the Thunder 119-109. That kind of efficiency in a marquee matchup is exactly what turns a role player into a trusted piece, and Yahoo Sports took notice, profiling Scheierman as someone who always believed this moment was coming.

The week wasn't without turbulence. Friday's rematch against Atlanta told a different story — 3 points, 6 rebounds, and a bruising -13 in 28 minutes of a 109-102 Celtics win. And a Monday loss to Minnesota (92-102) saw Scheierman log 28 minutes but finish at -16. The highs and lows are part of life in a deep Celtics rotation, but the Thunder game is the one that will linger. Boston doesn't hand 19 minutes in a spotlight game to someone they don't trust.

Elsewhere in the NBA

The other Bluejays in the league had modest weeks — serviceable, but nothing that reshapes their narratives.

Doug McDermott continues to find minutes off the Sacramento bench, going 9-for-a-night in the Kings' Sunday win over Brooklyn (126-122, +7 in 16 minutes) before a quieter 6-point outing in Thursday's loss to Orlando (117-121, -2 in 12 minutes). The Kings' season has been inconsistent, and McDermott's role reflects that — some nights he's a weapon, other nights he's a footnote.

Ryan Kalkbrenner offered the week's most intriguing subplot in Charlotte. The rookie big man dropped a +22 in Tuesday's blowout of Sacramento — a 134-90 shellacking in which the Hornets looked like a completely different team — logging 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 22 minutes. He was quieter Thursday against New York (4 points, 4 boards, 2 blocks, -4 in 17 minutes), but the upside is visible. For a rebuilding Hornets squad, Kalkbrenner's combination of rim protection and positive plus-minus is worth watching.

Trey Alexander did not log stats in the research window for New Orleans.

The Bigger Picture

Creighton's NBA presence is small but real. Scheierman is the headliner — and for good reason. The national profile piece from Yahoo Sports underscores that this isn't just a feel-good story anymore. He's a legitimate contributor on a championship-contending team, which puts him in rarified air for Bluejay alumni. McDermott, now in his second decade in the league, keeps grinding in Sacramento. And Kalkbrenner, still finding his footing, flashed enough in Charlotte this week to suggest his best basketball is ahead of him.

Creighton has never been a factory for NBA talent, which makes every player who sticks — and thrives — matter that much more.

Source links cited:

• Baylor Scheierman always felt this was coming (Yahoo Sports NBA): https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/baylor-scheierman-always-felt-coming-060256765.html

Baylor Scheierman, Boston Celtics

Creighton's most compelling NBA story right now isn't just happening — it's being recognized nationally.

A Yahoo Sports profile published this week made the case that Baylor Scheierman has steadily become one of the Celtics' most important role players, and the numbers from this stretch back that up. In Boston's 119-109 win over the Thunder on Wednesday — a statement victory for a championship-contending team — Scheierman posted 11 points, 5 rebounds, and a +11 plus/minus in just 19 minutes. That's the kind of efficient, impactful outing that gets coaches to trust a young player with the game on the line.

The week wasn't without its bumps. Scheierman logged 28 minutes in a 92-102 loss to Minnesota on Monday, finishing with 5 points and a -16 plus/minus in a rough team performance. He was on the floor again Friday for another 28-minute shift in a 109-102 win over Atlanta — 3 points, 6 rebounds, and a -13 mark that reflects a tighter-than-expected finish. But the broader arc is unmistakable: Boston keeps playing him, and playing him in big moments.

The Yahoo Sports piece frames Scheierman as someone who always believed this opportunity would come. For Bluejay fans who watched him develop in Omaha, that confidence won't surprise anyone. The question now is how much of a role he carves out when the playoffs arrive.

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Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets

Ryan Kalkbrenner had his best outing of the week in a blowout — and stayed useful when the games got tighter.

The Hornets routed the Kings 134-90 on Tuesday, and Kalkbrenner contributed 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks with a standout +22 plus/minus in 22 minutes. Two nights later against the Knicks in a 114-103 loss, he was more limited — 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 17 minutes — but the blocked shots continue to be his calling card. He also popped for 10 points in Charlotte's 124-101 win over Memphis on Saturday, finishing the week as one of the few consistent bright spots on a rebuilding roster.

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Doug McDermott, Sacramento Kings

It's been a quietly productive few weeks for Doug McDermott as the Kings try to hold onto postseason positioning. He scored 9 points in 16 minutes during Sacramento's 126-122 win over Brooklyn on Sunday, then matched that total — 9 points in 29 minutes — in a lopsided 90-134 loss to Charlotte on Tuesday. His most forgettable outing came Thursday in a 117-121 defeat to Orlando, where he managed just 6 points in 12 minutes.

McDermott's role fluctuates with matchups and game flow, but when the Kings need a reliable shooter off the bench, the Creighton legend is still getting the call.

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Three Bluejays. Three NBA rosters. One of them chasing a championship. It's a good week to be a Creighton fan with a league pass subscription.

Source links cited:

• Baylor Scheierman always felt this was coming (Yahoo Sports): https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/baylor-scheierman-always-felt-coming-060256765.html

Creighton doesn't produce NBA talent in bulk — but the Bluejays who do make it tend to stick. This week, three of them logged meaningful minutes across the league, led by a Baylor Scheierman story that's equal parts impressive and grimace-inducing.

Scheierman Is Hurting. He's Playing Anyway.

The Boston Celtics guard is managing multiple physical ailments, and yet Scheierman hasn't gone anywhere. Over three games this week, he averaged 24 minutes per night — and his stat line tells the story of a player doing everything but scoring.

Against the Wizards on Saturday (a 111-100 Boston win), Scheierman pulled down 9 rebounds and added 2 assists in 24 minutes. He followed that with 5 boards, 2 assists, and a steal in 25 minutes during Monday's 120-112 win over Phoenix. His best performance came Wednesday against Golden State: 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a +10 plus-minus in a dominant 120-99 Celtic blowout. He scored just 3 points that night, but his presence across the rotation held — and Boston won all three games he appeared in this week.

The perseverance angle is real. Playing through pain in a deep roster for a contender means every minute has to be earned. Scheierman is earning them.

McDermott Still Finds Ways to Score

At 33, Doug McDermott remains a useful piece in Sacramento's rotation — even if the Kings themselves have been inconsistent. McDermott played in all four of Sacramento's games this week, logging between 13 and 30 minutes per outing.

His best night: Friday against Philadelphia, where he dropped 11 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and blocked a shot in 30 minutes of a 118-139 loss. He added 12 points in Wednesday's blowout loss to San Antonio and 9 more in Monday's narrow 116-111 win over Utah. McDermott's scoring punch (32 points across four games) reflects the same thing it always has — he finds open looks, he hits them, and coaches keep him on the floor.

The Kings' week was uneven — splitting four games — but McDermott wasn't the problem.

Kalkbrenner Flashes Upside in Charlotte

Ryan Kalkbrenner, the 7-foot center out of Omaha, bookended his week with his two strongest performances. Against San Antonio on Saturday, he swatted 3 blocks in 17 minutes — a reminder of the rim-protection ceiling he carries. Then on Thursday, against Orlando, Kalkbrenner posted his best all-around line of the week: 13 points, 5 rebounds, and a +9 plus-minus in 23 minutes of a 130-111 Charlotte blowout win.

The Hornets are in full rebuild mode, which means minutes can be volatile — Kalkbrenner played just 14 against Miami in between those two outings. But when he's on the floor with space to operate, the production is real.

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Three Creighton alumni, three different roster situations, one common thread: none of them are passengers. Scheierman is fighting through injury to stay relevant on a title contender. McDermott is a reliable veteran piece on a streaky Kings squad. Kalkbrenner is carving out a role on a rebuilding team and flashing the tools that got him drafted. A good week for the Bluejays in blue.