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Source: ESPN Insider
The following is only a portion, which applies to the Shockers, of the full article.
The return of preseason All-Americans Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker has Wichita State once again poised not just to be one of college basketball’s best mid-major programs, but a program that could be capable of making another deep run come March.
Here’s a look at how they, and a couple of other mid-major stars, eluded the “power conferences” out of the high school ranks and went on to become true college basketball stars:
Fred VanVleet, PG, Wichita State Shockers (Senior, 6-0, 195)
Current: A third-team All-American and MVC Player of the Year as a sophomore, VanVleet was named to the Missouri Valley’s All-Conference, All-Defensive and All-Tournament teams for the second consecutive year last year as a junior.
Recruitment: While VanVleet finished his high school career ranked in the ESPN 100 of 2012, his decision ultimately came down to Wichita State over Kent State and Northern Illinois. VanVleet elected to play on a local AAU team instead of on the national circuit, and that caused many high-major programs to question his size and quickness. That said, Kansas did attempt to get involved with VanVleet after he committed to the Shockers.
Scouting report: While VanVleet still isn’t especially explosive, he’s compact, strong and tough and has excellent command of both the ball and his team. While both his assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting percentages dipped as a junior, he’s still one of the most trustworthy floor generals and distributors in college basketball, along with a consistent open shot-maker.
Ron Baker, SG/SF, Wichita State Shockers (Senior, 6-4, 220)
Current: Baker earned All-American status as a junior while also being named first-team All-Missouri Valley for the second consecutive season. He played with Team USA in last summer’s Pan-Am Games and has already scored over 1,000 points in his college career.
Recruitment: Baker was even more of an unknown than VanVleet, growing nine inches between his freshman and junior years of high school. He even attended Wichita State’s Elite Camp the summer before his senior year only to see the Shockers sign two other guards -- Evan Wessel and Tekele Cotton -- during the November early signing period. Former assistant coach Chris Jans continued to keep tabs on Baker until finally going to see him in the semifinals of the state tournament. With his only other offers at the time being South Dakota State and Arkansas-Little Rock, Wichita State was able to bring Baker in as a non-scholarship redshirt freshman, before awarding him a scholarship a year later.
Scouting report: By college standards, Baker is a good sized two-guard with a relatively long wingspan and strong body to match. A heady player and very good three-point shooter, he’s especially dangerous operating off a ball screen, in large part because his ability to shoot off the dribble puts immediate pressure on his defender to fight over the top. What Baker lacks is great quickness or dynamic playmaking ability against a balanced defender.
The following is only a portion, which applies to the Shockers, of the full article.
The return of preseason All-Americans Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker has Wichita State once again poised not just to be one of college basketball’s best mid-major programs, but a program that could be capable of making another deep run come March.
Here’s a look at how they, and a couple of other mid-major stars, eluded the “power conferences” out of the high school ranks and went on to become true college basketball stars:
Fred VanVleet, PG, Wichita State Shockers (Senior, 6-0, 195)Current: A third-team All-American and MVC Player of the Year as a sophomore, VanVleet was named to the Missouri Valley’s All-Conference, All-Defensive and All-Tournament teams for the second consecutive year last year as a junior.
Recruitment: While VanVleet finished his high school career ranked in the ESPN 100 of 2012, his decision ultimately came down to Wichita State over Kent State and Northern Illinois. VanVleet elected to play on a local AAU team instead of on the national circuit, and that caused many high-major programs to question his size and quickness. That said, Kansas did attempt to get involved with VanVleet after he committed to the Shockers.
Scouting report: While VanVleet still isn’t especially explosive, he’s compact, strong and tough and has excellent command of both the ball and his team. While both his assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting percentages dipped as a junior, he’s still one of the most trustworthy floor generals and distributors in college basketball, along with a consistent open shot-maker.
Ron Baker, SG/SF, Wichita State Shockers (Senior, 6-4, 220)Current: Baker earned All-American status as a junior while also being named first-team All-Missouri Valley for the second consecutive season. He played with Team USA in last summer’s Pan-Am Games and has already scored over 1,000 points in his college career.
Recruitment: Baker was even more of an unknown than VanVleet, growing nine inches between his freshman and junior years of high school. He even attended Wichita State’s Elite Camp the summer before his senior year only to see the Shockers sign two other guards -- Evan Wessel and Tekele Cotton -- during the November early signing period. Former assistant coach Chris Jans continued to keep tabs on Baker until finally going to see him in the semifinals of the state tournament. With his only other offers at the time being South Dakota State and Arkansas-Little Rock, Wichita State was able to bring Baker in as a non-scholarship redshirt freshman, before awarding him a scholarship a year later.
Scouting report: By college standards, Baker is a good sized two-guard with a relatively long wingspan and strong body to match. A heady player and very good three-point shooter, he’s especially dangerous operating off a ball screen, in large part because his ability to shoot off the dribble puts immediate pressure on his defender to fight over the top. What Baker lacks is great quickness or dynamic playmaking ability against a balanced defender.
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