Does Mr. Baker go NBA after his Soph. Season?

[Play Angry]

Selfishly, I hope Ron does not leave early for the NBA (whether that means after this season or next). I think he will at least return for one more year. A lot can change between now and the Draft, however, especially if we spend most of the season in the Top 10 of the polls and have another good run in the tournament.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, had Gordon Hayward as a potential lottery pick heading into the 2009-10 season. Ron has a significant head start on where Gordon was when it comes to hype. Our head coach himself is telling anyone who will listen about all the love Baker is getting from NBA scouts. It is pure ignorance to act like Baker leaving early is an impossibility with all the attention our program will receive this year and next.

[another shocker]

I, too, thought this thread was a joke at first. Now, I have previously had faith that Ron would develop into a NBA sleeper by his Senior year, but I thought this was way too premature. However, Ron has recently been developing a lot of buzz on twitter from a number of college and NBA experts. In fact, Chad Ford, ESPN's NBA draft expert just moved Baker up to #40 on his big board. In that case, this discussion is not so premature and the NBA decision might be something that Mr. Baker has to contemplate sooner rather than later. It's early in the season and I just can't picture Ron leaving after this year (or even after his junior year for that matter), but if you show up at #40 on Chad Ford's big board, then the NBA is a very serious possibility.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/results/top100/_/year/2014/set/1

From Chad Ford:

"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."

i hope shockref doesn't read this.

[SirShoxAlot]

Top 10 all time dumb topic posts.

He is a Sophomore who has played in all of maybe 25 collegiate games and some of you having him going to 'The League' already?

Give it a break.

I hope to all Heavens he doesn't read this ****.

That is all.

Dude. Chill.

That is all.

[AZ Shocker]

Kinda reminds me of Dan Majerle from Central Michigan. Guy made a hell of a pro for the Phoenix Suns under Cotton Fitzsimmons.

[Kung Wu]

We haven't hit the Valley of lock down defense games yet. That's likely to jack up some of our boys' averages. We should revisit this thread in early March.

[proshox]

Shockref - could you be more condescending?

CBB - very interesting comparisons. The question will be can he pull this off for more games.

[AZ Shocker]

Please lay-off ShockRef my fellow Shocker Brothers. Him and I go way back and is appreciated on this board!!! I agree this thread I started may be a little pre-mature and should be revisited in March. BUT....most observers of Ron Baker's game now and how it is evolving more and more practically each game does entice the idea that Ron will one day no doubt go league. He's just nails at only a Sophmore and will continue to grow. I for one HOPES to God he stays at Wichita St. until 2016!!!!! He's probably be a Lottery Pick at that point!!!!

[shock]

If he did leave after this year, he would essentially be a one and done. Man, Kstate really whiffed. Thank heavens Marshall isn't that stupid.

[Zorkon]

The Dan Majerle reference point does make more sense than Wade or Bird. Playing four years of college was a big plus for Majerle, although I have no idea if leaving early was a practical option for him back then. Unless Baker is in desperate need of some money right now I don't see any good reason to go pro after this season. If he's as good as people think think that he is then sticking around and raising his stock will still lead to big paydays. If he's not as good as people think that he is then leaving early could seriously mess up his life. It's amazing how many great college players have never amounted to anything in the NBA. The only bright side to this issue is that the Baker family seems to be well-grounded and level-headed.

[Play Angry]

I understand that the natural reaction for fans is to act like leaving early is always a bad idea, and they love pointing to examples like Korleone Young for proof. This is too simplistic.

If a player is a guaranteed first round pick, it is probably a poor business decision to return to college. The risk of injury is large (see, e.g., Ron last season) and the lost earnings are immense for that one year alone, especially when you consider the shelf life of an NBA player is ~10-15 years if they are lucky. That is a very short career span- one or two extra seasons means a ton of extra $$$.

Guaranteed minimum contracts are big bucks these days- not at all like they were ten or twenty years ago. Tuition at a place like WSU is dirt cheap in comparison to NBA earnings and that player could easily afford to come back and pay the measly $5-10k to finish up a year+ of college at any time. I don't see someone like Ron blowing millions on cars, blow and hookers and I'm guessing you don't either, so really the risk of "ruining his life" by leaving early is pretty minimal.

The real mistakes are made by the idiots like Kabongo at Texas last year- players who declare early when they are projecting towards the very bottom of the second round, then go undrafted entirely. The toughest calls are the ones like McDermott faced last season- boards had him going anywhere from 20th-40th. There is a huge, huge difference in guaranteed pay between being the last guy chosen in the 1st round and the first guy taken in the 2nd round. I don't really think there is a right or wrong choice by players in that situation.

It really just depends on where the player is slotted.

[Nickwayne87]

Some of you are DELUSIONAL.....i know you guys like to think that players should stay in college all four years and want them to be a part of their program all four years no matter how good they are. With that said, this thread is NOT premature....Wichita State is finally in the national spotlight and regardless of who they've played so far they're undefeated. He's coming off a FINAL FOUR season where he torched the blue blood teams....the so called "majors". I personally think he'll leave after his junior year the only way he stays after that is if he REGRESSES next year. It looks like he's getting better every game, 20+ points here, 20+ points there......if he keeps up this pace and the shox keep winning (which they will) and then shows out in the tournament Baker to the NBA this year is a legit discussion. I only think he'll stay this year because if he were to come out this year I think no matter what he'd be a second round pick. Next year is the year i think he'll be a surefire first round pick. Ron, Cleanthony, and Fred will all be DRAFTED to the NBA at some point in my opinion.

[RoyalShock]

If he did leave after this year, he would essentially be a one and done. Man, Kstate really whiffed. Thank heavens Marshall isn't that stupid.

Thank Chris Jans for convincing Marshall to give Baker a shot.

[ShockRef]

Please lay-off ShockRef my fellow Shocker Brothers. Him and I go way back and is appreciated on this board!!! I agree this thread I started may be a little pre-mature and should be revisited in March. BUT....most observers of Ron Baker's game now and how it is evolving more and more practically each game does entice the idea that Ron will one day no doubt go league. He's just nails at only a Sophmore and will continue to grow. I for one HOPES to God he stays at Wichita St. until 2016!!!!! He's probably be a Lottery Pick at that point!!!!

ProShox - Not condescending. Just a truth machine.

AZShocker - We're good.

That is all.

[wufan]

Some of you are DELUSIONAL.....i know you guys like to think that players should stay in college all four years and want them to be a part of their program all four years no matter how good they are.

If your family isn't on skid row and you aren't virtually guaranteed a first round slot, then you should stay in school. Once you get to guaranteed money, then you should leave for the reasons mentioned above. Currently Ron is mentioned as being a mid 2nd round pick and his family lives in Scott City, Kansas (which doesn't have a skid row). Unless his stock rises immensely, he should stay in school. He's not foolish, he'll stay.

[Nickwayne87]

If your family isn't on skid row and you aren't virtually guaranteed a first round slot, then you should stay in school. Once you get to guaranteed money, then you should leave for the reasons mentioned above. Currently Ron is mentioned as being a mid 2nd round pick and his family lives in Scott City, Kansas (which doesn't have a skid row). Unless his stock rises immensely, he should stay in school. He's not foolish, he'll stay.

Did you not read the last couple lines of my post? I said what you said. I also said that Ron to the NBA after this season is a legit DISCUSSION....not that it would or should happen.