Ron Baker, NBA Prospect

[shockmonster]

Speculating...with out facts...welcome to the party shockmonster. It's called a fan discussion board. For crying out loud, we are 2 over the limit. Speculation is that 2 players, in theory, who are non-senior members of this basketball team will not be here next year. It's a moving target from game to game on who is behind door number one and two. If this makes anyone uncomfortable, maybe a cooking discussion board is in the cards for them. It will work itself out in the next few months, but discussing it is well within the honey spot for a discussion board.

By the way, did I say Baker is going to stay...book it. In my mind it's fact anyway, for what it is worth. I know, I know, my opinions don't mean much, but it's all I got.

I would agree that Baker stays. It's the discussion regarding players not being invited back that I'm uncomfortable. By the way, you don't mind stating your opinions but when I state mine, you have a problem. After all, this is a discussion board. Just my opinion.

[WSUwatcher]

Not taboo. But you are speculating and spreading rumors without any facts about "real" people. It does make me a quite uncomfortable but there are a lot of people who like to spread these things. I don't see other fan bases obsessing about it as much as ours seem to. But that is just my opinion.

Agreed, monster -- I've never understood why the housekeepers have to associate specific names with their speculation, and I believe it speaks ill of them that they do. If saying that makes me holier than thou to some of our unholy speculators, so be it, and may a yak sit on their pancakes. I'll just have to move on to another thread and skip this one, knowing that it's been hijacked.

[SHOXAAC]

Agreed, monster -- I've never understood why the housekeepers have to associate specific names with their speculation, and I believe it speaks ill of them that they do. If saying that makes me holier than thou to some of our unholy speculators, so be it, and may a yak sit on their pancakes. I'll just have to move on to another thread and skip this one, knowing that it's been hijacked.

Baker is good for another year, but that's just speculation on my part. Oh yea, I forgot...you left the building already. Bye, bye.

[SHOXAAC]

I would agree that Baker stays. It's the discussion regarding players not being invited back that I'm uncomfortable. By the way, you don't mind stating your opinions but when I state mine, you have a problem. After all, this is a discussion board. Just my opinion.

Hey, there is hope for you yet. You are catching on to this discussion fan board thing. And to think I was writing you off so soon.

[1972Shocker]

Obviously, some adjustments are forthcoming. This is a fact. Hard to say what form that will take. Quite a few possibilities really. Trying to divine what those adjustments will be is very difficult based on what we know.

The fact that HCGM doesn't seem to be very concerned about it tells me he probably already has several options worked out in his mind based on numerous details he has knowledge of and control over that we don't. Good luck on unlocking that information from the Marshall vault.

[Aargh]

If it's OK to get back to the thread topic and express an opinion, I'd like to do that.

I think Baker comes back. I think he's got some pretty heavy loyalties to the coaching staff and his teammates. Especially FVV.

I don't think Baker has stars in his eyes and is seeing himself as an NBA star making millions of dollars a year. I think he's probably a little more grounded in reality. He's seen how things have worked out for Early and that can't be encouraging him to expect much of an NBA career.

This is ebsolute speculation, but I think Baker takes a few years in the NBA, and then uses his connections with Marshall to get a D1 assistant coaching gig. Marshall has something like 5 former staff members who are now D1 coaches.

IIRC, both Baker's parents are involved with coaching. Baker is well-positioned to go into coaching. Another year with Marshall (and FVV) looks like a positive thing for (long term) pursuing a coaching career.

[shockmonster]

Hey, there is hope for you yet. You are catching on to this discussion fan board thing. And to think I was writing you off so soon.

Your pompous act is wearing a little thin. You need to get off of your high horse.

[1979Shocker]

If it's OK to get back to the thread topic and express an opinion, I'd like to do that.

I think Baker comes back. I think he's got some pretty heavy loyalties to the coaching staff and his teammates. Especially FVV.

I don't think Baker has stars in his eyes and is seeing himself as an NBA star making millions of dollars a year. I think he's probably a little more grounded in reality. He's seen how things have worked out for Early and that can't be encouraging him to expect much of an NBA career.

This is ebsolute speculation, but I think Baker takes a few years in the NBA, and then uses his connections with Marshall to get a D1 assistant coaching gig. Marshall has something like 5 former staff members who are now D1 coaches.

IIRC, both Baker's parents are involved with coaching. Baker is well-positioned to go into coaching. Another year with Marshall (and FVV) looks like a positive thing for (long term) pursuing a coaching career.

I don't see Baker as a coach, at least not at the college level. I could see him coaching at the high school level and then maybe moving up to a higher level.

[Dave Stalwart]

I don't really feel like we got that far off topic. Whether or not Ron goes to the NBA right now or after next year is the question and it has fairly direct implications on the scholarship availability. I, too, think Ron will be back so its a pretty natural rabbit trail.

I would like to see Ron back because I'm not sure I actually trust some of our next crop. Ron, Fred and Evan can keep us strong for another year to smooth over the transition. I also think Ron has been a tad less dominant than he would have needed to be to go as a lottery pick.

I will be interested to see what happens, and I'll be a proud Shocker, regardless, but I do think we'll see him again.

[ShockTalk]

I don't see Baker as a coach, at least not at the college level. I could see him coaching at the high school level and then maybe moving up to a higher level.

Since you brought it up, care to expand or just a gut feeling? Curious at what makes the difference between HS or college coaching as for Ron.

[1972Shocker]

I also think Ron has been a tad less dominant than he would have needed to be to go as a lottery pick.

I don't think anyone has or will suggest that Ron is a lottery pick. His ceiling is at the end of the 1st round, if that. I personally don't think he will be a 1st round draft pick.

[SHOXAAC]

Your pompous act is wearing a little thin. You need to get off of your high horse.

I'm not pompous. You fail. Speaking of thin...skin, say hi to the mirror. Horses scare me monster, but thanks for giving me the credit. I like your style. Your really fitting in to this discussion board thing.

[RussDaBus]

http://thebiglead.com/2015/02/12/201...anthony-towns/ #27

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2015/ #41

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/prospect-rankings #39

So here a few mocks or rankings I found doing a quick google search. What I want to point out is that basically it is very early in the game regarding draft stock. As we all know, fairly or unfairly, how you play in the NCAA tournament has a huge effect on your draft stock. Cle was very rarely mentioned as a possible first round pick until after the NCAA tournament game against Kentucky. Then he was as high as 18 on some mock drafts.

Ron is already in some of the mocks in the first round so I feel his starting point is higher than where Cle was.

Not saying he will go first round, just saying a huge amount of it will be determined by his NCAA tournament performance.

[OregonShocker]

With all due respect. Hogwash. Why wouldn't he think that he could do both? Not everyone is fixed on the NBA to the point that they decide not to finish other goals that they have. Putting off the NBA for one year is a perfectly fine and reasonable option. He may not be a first round pick but second round picks have made the NBA too.

Just my opinion, sure. But, IF he dreams of making it in the NBA, staying another year makes it more difficult. He's not going to improve his value, and hinders development compared to leaving sooner. Sure, he can make it as a non-first rounder (as I have mentioned, I believe he will.) I just don't think it would be smart for him to stay IF he wants to last more than a few years. (Hey, I've been wrong before! I did NOT think Doug McD. was a first round pick AT ALL!)

[1979Shocker]

Since you brought it up, care to expand or just a gut feeling? Curious at what makes the difference between HS or college coaching as for Ron.

Just a gut feeling. I think he's the type of person that would feel more comfortable in a small high school setting.