Overall Rank 61
Position Rank 11
Hollinger PER 22.12
Projection Second Round Pick/Undrafted
Positives:
Terrific shooter with deep range
High basketball IQ
Can play both the two and the point
Negatives:
Not an elite athlete
Undersized if he has to play the two
May 27 workout confidential: Baker is a former walk-on turned draft prospect. Few players can make such a claim.
His ability to play both the 1 and the 2, his shooting stroke and his toughness all make him an intriguing guy for the second round. And the analytics crowd loves him.
He shot the ball really well in workouts, did gritty work on the defensive end trying to contain Kris Dunn and showed a terrific motor and attitude in the workouts. He plays so hard on both ends that coaches will fall in love with him.
"He's got a chance," one GM told me after the workout. "I'm not sure exactly where he gets drafted, but that doesn't matter. What matters is whether you can stick in the league, and I think he has a skill set and work ethic to stick."
Oct 30 Update: Baker has been a favorite of NBA scouts and statheads since he broke out as a freshman in the NCAA tournament. His improvement has flatlined and now, at the age of 22, he's out of upside. Still, some scouts see his ability to play the 1 and the 2, along with his sweet outside stroke, as a major plus.
"Baker isn't going to be a star in the NBA," one GM said. "But I can see him sticking for a long time. He's versatile, he can shoot it, he's really tough. He's a really great get in the late first round or early second round."
Apr 12 UpdateBaker has been on the NBA radar screen since the end of his freshman season, but hasn't been able to move off the first-round bubble. Scouts that see him as a point guard think he might be worth a first-round pick. Scouts that see him as a two guard think he's undersized. A strong senior year might help him get off the bubble.
Mar 16 Update: Ever since a breakout NCAA tournament as a freshman, Baker has been sitting squarely on the first-round bubble. Many scouts believe he can make the transition to the point at the NBA level. Others question whether he has the quickness to make the leap. He shoots the ball really well, plays with a high basketball IQ and rarely turns the ball over. He's in the 25-to-40 range right now.
Nov 18 Update: Grade: B- Baker had 16 points, four rebounds and one assist in the opener for the Shockers. However he missed all three of the 3-point shots he took and if he's going to continue to get some looks as a point guard in the NBA, he's going to have to average more than one assist per game.
Nov 14 Update: Scouts fell in love with Baker during Wichita State's run during his freshman season. He came back down to Earth a bit as a sophomore, but there are still a number of scouts who believe he can have a long career in the NBA. With Fred VanVleet running the show from the point, Baker plays off the ball at Wichita State, but many scouts think he could be a full-time point guard in the pros.
Sept. 9 Update: Baker can be a polarizing player. Some scouts absolutely love him and think he makes the transition from college 2-guard to NBA point guard. Others see an undersized 2 who lacks the NBA athleticism to make the jump. This will be a critical year to see which camp is right. He was solid at the LeBron camp this summer, but he's going to have to be more than that to maintain this position in our rankings.
July 16 Update: After a terrific run in the tournament as a freshman, Baker started getting first-round looks as a sophomore, when scouts began to see him as a point guard at the next level. He's a very good shooter with deep range. But scouts are going to want to see him with the ball in his hands more, and he's going to have to improve his defense considerably.
Apr 4 Update: Baker will return to Wichita State for his junior season. NBA scouts have been excited about Baker since his terrific play as a freshman in the Shockers' run to the Final Four. He showed improvement as a sophomore in virtually every area and was especially a favorite of the analytics crowd. Scouts project Baker as a point guard at the next level, although as long as Fred Van Vleet is there he's unlikely to get a chance to play the position. He's a potential mid-to-late first-round pick in 2015.
Mar 25 Update: Baker showed off his shooting chops against UK, going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. His defense was borderline terrible, but many NBA scouts think he can be an effective point guard at the next level thanks to his ballhandling skills and shooting touch. Baker is a definite sleeper for the late first round if he declares.
Mar 17 Update: Baker is the favorite of most NBA scouts despite the fact that Early and VanVleet get the most media attention. Those scouts fell in love with Baker in the NCAA tournament last year, and the crush continued as they watched him play last fall in practice. NBA teams see Baker being able to make the transition to point guard at the next level, where his shooting touch, toughness and poise appeal to NBA GMs.
Dec 2 Update: Baker might be this year's biggest draft sleeper. His play as a freshman during Wichita State's Sweet 16 run last season turned heads (he handled Louisville's press about as well as a freshman could), but it's been his performance early this season for the Shockers that has many NBA scouts believing he could be a first-round pick in 2014.
Baker is a terrific shooter, but he's shown this season he's a more versatile scorer than scouting reports have suggested. He's also playing some backup point this season, which is a good thing, as most scouts believe he'll have to be a point guard in the NBA given his relative lack of size (6-3) and length. Thus far, he has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.7-to-1. He'll never be a lockdown defender because of his lack of elite athletic ability, but Baker's skills and high basketball IQ could easily land him in the first round. Think of the Indiana Pacers' George Hill for a comparison.
Nov 27 Update: Who's the biggest sleeper in this year's draft? Myself and a lot of NBA scouts are very high on Wichita State's Ron Baker. He's sitting in the 40s on our Big Board right now, but the more I watch him play and the more I talk with scouts, I think he ends up as a potential first rounder -- especially if scouts are convinced he can play the point in the NBA.
Aug 20 Update Scouts are excited to see Ron Baker back and healthy for a full year. He put up a couple of really nice games in the NCAA tournament for the Shockers and scouts think that if he can see time at the point guard position this year, he could end up being a real draft sleeper.
No but it does mean someone that significantly impacts the game on both sides of the ball.
Wishful thinking..sidenote, Melo committing to Rio got me excited for next season.
the last 2 Olympics, Melo balled out and that carried into the NBA season.
08 - lead Denver to WCF vs Lakers
12 - lead NY to the 2nd round (scoring champ)
only thing is, he wont be playing with the Team USA vets. (Bron, CP)
so that might be the difference if Melo's play doesnt carry into the season
but if it does, with DRose playing for a contract & KP's 2nd yr, 2016-17 could be 1 helluva season
@ that Bulls fan vid crying over the trade.
sidenote, Melo committing to Rio got me excited for next season.
the last 2 Olympics, Melo balled out and that carried into the NBA season.
08 - lead Denver to WCF vs Lakers
12 - lead NY to the 2nd round (scoring champ)
only thing is, he wont be playing with the Team USA vets. (Bron, CP)
so that might be the difference if Melo's play doesnt carry into the season
but if it does, with DRose playing for a contract & KP's 2nd yr, 2016-17 could be 1 helluva season
Rose having an all star season :x is one of those things that I hope Im wrong about. On paper I don't see it happening..If he can consistently be half the player he was his MVP year he'll be twice the player Caldo was..
Def Noah over Dwight. Noah can pass out of the block in addition to rebound and defend for less money.
