Ron Baker!

[Play Angry]

I'm sure it will be pretty fluid until the calendar flips. Ford at ESPN has him as a mid-late first rounder (#25). There will be a lot of variance until January/February.

[wufan]

From the article:

Is that good news or bad news? At #44, it might be worthwhile to play his Sr. year at WSU.

Well, if he stays above #20, that dramatically increases the chance that he will stay.

[1972Shocker]

Well, if he stays above #20, that dramatically increases the chance that he will stay.

I really have no real insight into what Ron is thinking but I would expect that if he is drafted anywhere in the 1st Round he would sign. If he is picked in the 2nd Round then perhaps it's a push whether he goes or stays. If he isn't drafted I assume he stays assuming he would like to pursue or get started on a graduate degree that WSU offers.

[AndShock]

I really have no real insight into what Ron is thinking but I would expect that if he is drafted anywhere in the 1st Round he would sign. If he is picked in the 2nd Round then perhaps it's a push whether he goes or stays. If he isn't drafted I assume he stays assuming he would like to pursue or get started on a graduate degree that WSU offers.

Keep in mind that Ron has to decide if he's going or staying before he gets drafted. There will be a lot of things for him to think about come April.

[Play Angry]

I really have no real insight into what Ron is thinking but I would expect that if he is drafted anywhere in the 1st Round he would sign. If he is picked in the 2nd Round then perhaps it's a push whether he goes or stays. If he isn't drafted I assume he stays assuming he would like to pursue or get started on a graduate degree that WSU offers.

Unfortunately, basketball differs from baseball in that you must commit to either staying or going before the draft. Once you enter the draft, you are 100% gone whether you are chosen #1, chosen in the second round, or totally undrafted.

There are exceptions, but the cutoff between leaving early being smart vs. dumb is usually the 30th and 31st picks. The former offers a guaranteed contract; the latter offers you a leg up on D-League players during the summer hunger games.

[1972Shocker]

Unfortunately, basketball differs from baseball in that you must commit to either staying or going before the draft. Once you enter the draft, you are 100% gone whether you are chosen #1, chosen in the second round, or totally undrafted.

There are exceptions, but the cutoff between leaving early being smart vs. dumb is usually the 30th and 31st picks. The former offers a guaranteed contract; the latter offers you a leg up on D-League players during the summer hunger games.

That's true but there will be a lot of indications as to where Ron is likely to go before the draft. Of course, that is not guarantee as Cle found out. Whether he would go ahead and leave as a likely 2nd rounder probably depends greatly on what his educational goals are. I think we all agree he will get a shot at playing basketball for money somewhere and if he has his degree he may just decide he would like to pursue that.

[kcshocker11]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/100822/top10thursday-matchup-nightmares

[wufan]

We have had the discussion about VanVleet as possibly the best PG in WSU history. What about Baker? Is he the best wing guard in Shocker history?

Others off the top of my head that could compete for that honor:

Toure Murry
Jason Perez
Maurice Evans (didn't graduate from WSU so probably a DQ)
Aubrey Sherrod
Cheese Johnson (more of a wing forward)
Warren Armstrong (wing forward?)
Jamie Thompson (wing forward?)

I'm guessing this is between Baker, Sherrod, and Armstrong (pending if you qualify him as such).

[Anthroshock]

DQing Armstrong, it's gotta be between Sherrod, Perez and Baker in that order. Perez the only bright light (since Evans left) on some not great teams. Perhaps Perez got more run since there wasn't a lot of backup, but his numbers, 6th in career scoring and 1st in steals, speak for themselves.

All that said, I get the feeling Baker is going to blow some doors off this season.

[im4wsu]

Using the positions in the Hyptothetical Play-off that Lutz did last year, here are the guards listed:

	Points	Reb	Ass
SG – Greg Carney	20.1	4.2
SG – Bob Wilson	20
SG – Maurice Evans	17.1	4.6
SG – Joe Stevens	16.6	3.9
SG – Ron Mendell	15.3
SG – Aubrey Sherrod	15.1	2.7	3.3
SG – L.D. Swanson	14.6
SG – Kelly Pete	14.1	6.4
PG – Lanny Van Eman	14	3.1
PG – Jimmy Bolden	13.4
PG – Ernie Moore	13.2	3.1
PG – Randy Smithson	13
SG – Randy Burns	12.9	3.8	2.2
SG – Paul Guffrovich	12.2	5.9	3.2
PG – Paul Scheer	11.7
SG – Dwight Praylow	11.6
PG – Clevin Hannah	11.6	2.5	4.5
PG – Calvin Bruton	11.6	2.6
PG – Tony Martin	11.5
SG – Toure Murry	11.1	4.5	3.1
SG – Leonard Kelley	11.1
PG – Malcolm Armstead	10.7	3.8	4
PG – Robert George	10.6
PG – Fridge Holman	10.4
PG – Preston Carrington	10.4
PG – Joe Ragland	10	2.3	3
SG – Terrell Benton	9.9	2.4
SG – Sean Ogirri	9.5
SG – Bob Trogele	9.3	3.1
PG – Terry Hankton	9.3
SG -- Ron Baker	9.1	2.9	2.4
PG – Matt Braeuer	7.3	2.5	3.1
PG – Fred VanVleet	6.1	2.7	3.1

[forevershockerfan]

A dream many of us had was seeing FVV and Baker playing together as Seniors. I want Ron to do what is best for him of course. However, if he

so chooses to come back with FVV----wow!!!! In the meanwhile, we have them to enjoy this Season. Is there a such thing as Bookend Guards?

If not, just throw in Mr. Cotton and we will administer the ole 1-2-3 monsta flurry on both sides of the hardwood. When have we had 3 players like this

together at those 3 positions here at 21st and Hillside? Even if we have had such players on the offensive side of things in times past, look at their collective stats on defense.

The perspective of it all is fun to behold. We are living the Shocker dream and the best is yet to come.

[benishock]

Baker or Thompson.

[Blackmag]

For selfish reasons I'd love to see Ron stay. Him a Fred as seniors would be heaven, and who knows Ron might be thinking the same thing, you only get this chance once in your life, to be adored by faithful fans on a top 10 team and a team with asperations of making it to anotheir final four

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Using the positions in the Hyptothetical Play-off that Lutz did last year, here are the guards listed:

	Points	Reb	Ass
SG – Greg Carney	20.1	4.2
SG – Bob Wilson	20
SG – Maurice Evans	17.1	4.6
SG – Joe Stevens	16.6	3.9
SG – Ron Mendell	15.3
SG – Aubrey Sherrod	15.1	2.7	3.3
SG – L.D. Swanson	14.6
SG – Kelly Pete	14.1	6.4
PG – Lanny Van Eman	14	3.1
PG – Jimmy Bolden	13.4
PG – Ernie Moore	13.2	3.1
PG – Randy Smithson	13
SG – Randy Burns	12.9	3.8	2.2
SG – Paul Guffrovich	12.2	5.9	3.2
PG – Paul Scheer	11.7
SG – Dwight Praylow	11.6
PG – Clevin Hannah	11.6	2.5	4.5
PG – Calvin Bruton	11.6	2.6
PG – Tony Martin	11.5
SG – Toure Murry	11.1	4.5	3.1
SG – Leonard Kelley	11.1
PG – Malcolm Armstead	10.7	3.8	4
PG – Robert George	10.6
PG – Fridge Holman	10.4
PG – Preston Carrington	10.4
PG – Joe Ragland	10	2.3	3
SG – Terrell Benton	9.9	2.4
SG – Sean Ogirri	9.5
SG – Bob Trogele	9.3	3.1
PG – Terry Hankton	9.3
SG -- Ron Baker	9.1	2.9	2.4
PG – Matt Braeuer	7.3	2.5	3.1
PG – Fred VanVleet	6.1	2.7	3.1

How did you figure Ron's stats? Did you take into account only the games he played in his RFr year?

[im4wsu]

How did you figure Ron's stats? Did you take into account only the games he played in his RFr year?

I attempted to take total career totals and divide by the total games played, prior to this season.