Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Former Gonzaga walk-on Rem Bakamus back in game as Baylor graduate assistant

Gonzaga Bulldogs Red team guard Rem Bakamus (15) celebrates his red team beating the blue team 52-40 during the Kraziness in the Kennel scrimmage at Gonzaga University, Sat., Oct. 8, 2016, in Spokane, Wash. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
Gonzaga Bulldogs Red team guard Rem Bakamus (15) celebrates his red team beating the blue team 52-40 during the Kraziness in the Kennel scrimmage at Gonzaga University, Sat., Oct. 8, 2016, in Spokane, Wash. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Rem Bakamus enjoyed his first job in the real world, but he liked his side job better.

The former Gonzaga walk-on stayed in sports after exiting the program following the 2017 season, working at Scorebook Live with CEO Dan Beach, father of Zag walk-on Jack Beach, and Dan Dickau. Scorebook Live provides live play-by-play, box scores and analysis for teams, leagues and tournaments, according to its website.

Meanwhile, Bakamus often made the 6-hour drive home to Longview, Washington, to assist his father Bill, head coach at Mark Morris High. The elder Bakamus is a legendary figure in Washington prep coaching circles.

“I loved the (Scorebook Live) job, but it just wasn’t the career path I had in mind,” Bakamus said. “My dad always told me to try something else after going into the real world and it didn’t take me long to figure out coaching is what I wanted to do.”

Bill Bakamus has coached for 36 years, including 27 at Mark Morris, and is closing in on 600 wins. Rem is following in his footsteps, entering the profession as a grad assistant at Baylor.

Rem’s parents toted his belongings on a 32-hour drive – mixed in with visits with friends and some sightseeing – to Waco. Bakamus is settling into his new apartment this weekend. His roommate is a Baylor grad assistant who went to prep school with former Zag walk-on Dustin Triano.

Bakamus’ new job was made possible by an assist from former Gonzaga director of operations John Jakus, hired as a Baylor assistant coach in May, 2017.

“I’ve always kept in touch with Jakus and we had a great relationship when we were at Gonzaga,” Bakamus said. “I called him up and he had a spot for me.”

Gonzaga and Baylor staged a couple of closed-door preseason scrimmages in recent years. The Zags edged the visiting Bears 94-87 in an entertaining Dec. 2012 shootout during Bakamus’ freshman season.

Bakamus isn’t sure about his job description but said “I just know I’ll do whatever is asked of me to help out.” He’s entering Baylor’s two-year graduate program in Sport Pedagogy.

Bakamus has a number of mentors to lean on, including his father, Jakus, Baylor’s staff, Zags head coach Mark Few and assistants Tommy Lloyd and Brian Michaelson.

“Since I was a kid, basketball has been my life and I was always at the gym with my dad,” Bakamus said. “It’s what I know and what I love.”