Ron Baker's Role This Year

[Aargh]

I've tried to avoid getting too hyped about Baker. He did look like one of the better SG's in the NCAA tourney as a Fr. Arch Madness has produced some results that scream out that you should never get too excited over what happens in a brief stretch of games. I've pplied that philosophy to Baker. I expect him to be good, but I'm not looking for superhero stuff.

Now I'm looking at Murry getting NBA looks as a PG. With Bowles problem, Baker is likely to get significant minutes at PG. I'm thinking Baker will do very well in that role.

Baker could turn out to be a 3 shooter who can play PG.

I think Murry makes it to the NBA. I think Early doesn't have to deal with the D-League. I think Baker can be the next Shock to go NBA. About that time, I expect the NBA will be looking hard at Orukpe.

[Dan]

I've tried to avoid getting too hyped about Baker. He did look like one of the better SG's in the NCAA tourney as a Fr. Arch Madness has produced some results that scream out that you should never get too excited over what happens in a brief stretch of games. I've pplied that philosophy to Baker. I expect him to be good, but I'm not looking for superhero stuff.

Now I'm looking at Murry getting NBA looks as a PG. With Bowles problem, Baker is likely to get significant minutes at PG. I'm thinking Baker will do very well in that role.

Baker could turn out to be a 3 shooter who can play PG.

I think Murry makes it to the NBA. I think Early doesn't have to deal with the D-League. I think Baker can be the next Shock to go NBA. About that time, I expect the NBA will be looking hard at Orukpe.

You had me till orukpe.

[Rick BW]

My four year old son, catches a ball better than EO. Like the guy, but you can't play in the Association if you can't catch the ball. I don't care how great a defender you are, you have to be somewhat of a threat on the offensive end (which he is not).

[kochHead]

I hear you on Baker. Maybe the same can be said for the expectations of the entire team. If the team doesn't have one of the best shooting performances of all time during the last 7 or so minutes of the Gonzaga game our expectations would be drastically different. The fact is, they did play amazing in the tournament, but it remains to be seen if that is who they are, or just what they did.

[SubGod22]

Ehimen will have a couple of years of doing nothing but playing basketball and working on things and he's going to get more PT than he did here. He can and will improve. I won't be the least bit surprised if he eventually starts getting some NBA looks down the road.

[SubGod22]

And Baker is a flat out baller.

[WSUwatcher]

Jimmer Fredette played 69 games with the Kings last year, mostly at PG, averaging 14 minutes, 7.2 points, and 1.3 assists per game. The year before, his numbers were a bit higher in slightly more time per game.

By the time Ron Baker is finished at WSU (and many would argue sooner than that), he'll be a better player than Fredette -- quite possibly much better. He's already a better athlete and defender.

[MadaboutWu]

Hard to know at this point, but I think RB will have a decision to make following his junior year about declaring for the draft.

[RoyalShock]

I really, really like Ron Baker in a Shocker uniform. But let's remember he hasn't played half a season of D1 basketball games. In the games he did play his production was inconsistent. To say he's going to be better than Jimmer Fredette and possibly and early entrant into the draft is being way too premature, in my opinion.

Now that the word is out and Ron won't be under the radar, if he plays a full season this year and averages double-figure points with solid secondary stats, then I'll consider jumping on the Baker-to-the-NBA bandwagon.

[shocks771]

God I love the offseason!! You people are crazy!! Baker is a very solid player but any talk of him going to the NBA at this point is flat out crazy. I sure hope you guys are right and I am wrong because that will more than likely mean even greater things for our program. I see Ron as a 13-15 ppg player during his junior and senior year and that's not going to be good enough to catch the eyes of NBA scouts.

[WuShock16]

Ron seems like a good guy, so this hopefully won't be an issue...but if the early NBA thing doesn't happen, the vultures could still come out. Ron would be a fifth-year senior...which means if he graduates in four, he could transfer without sitting out. Again, I am confident that this is not a worry and that Ron would not consider such a thought....but it doesn't mean that schools wouldn't try (I'm looking to the northeast part of this fine state).

[pie n eye]

Ron seems like a good guy, so this hopefully won't be an issue...but if the early NBA thing doesn't happen, the vultures could still come out. Ron would be a fifth-year senior...which means if he graduates in four, he could transfer without sitting out. Again, I am confident that this is not a worry and that Ron would not consider such a thought....but it doesn't mean that schools wouldn't try (I'm looking to the northeast part of this fine state).

Smh

[Kung Wu]

Ron seems like a good guy, so this hopefully won't be an issue...but if the early NBA thing doesn't happen, the vultures could still come out. Ron would be a fifth-year senior...which means if he graduates in four, he could transfer without sitting out. Again, I am confident that this is not a worry and that Ron would not consider such a thought....but it doesn't mean that schools wouldn't try (I'm looking to the northeast part of this fine state).

You don't leave the school that had to ask for your ring size.

Edit: For another school that is.

[WuShock16]

I agree...but it wouldn't stop schools from trying. It was rumored that KU sent inquiries to people around Kyle Weems.

[Kung Wu]

I agree...but it wouldn't stop schools from trying. It was rumored that KU sent inquiries to people around Kyle Weems.

That was more like a rescue operation than it was poaching.