Shooting Guard
Wichita State, Sr., 23
6'4, 220 pounds
6'9.75 wingspan, 35.5'' max vert
2015-16 Statistics: 14.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 1.6 TOPG, 42.4% FG, 79.3% FT, 35.0% 3P
Summary: Ron Baker is a solid outside shooter with a high basketball IQ. He went from a virtually unknown walk-on to one of the best college players in the country in just a few short years. The biggest turn-off for NBA teams will be his age; at 23, Baker is one of the oldest players in the draft. For reference, Baker is three months older than Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who is about to enter his fifth NBA season. In an era where NBA teams tend to target 18-20 year-olds who they can develop for the first few years of their career, Baker's age definitely does not do him any favors.
Offensive Breakdown: He does everything well, but does not have any singular standout skill that jumps off the page. His greatest strength is his ability to knock down mid- to long-range jump shots. Baker is also a solid distributor with one of the lowest turnover rates of any guard in the nation throughout his career. If he can continue to improve his three-point shooting, he could potentially find a role as an instant offense guy coming off the bench for an NBA team.
Defensive Breakdown: Baker was a decent on-ball defender in college, but that should be taken with a grain of salt when you compare the talent levels of the Missouri Valley to the players he will be asked to guard in the NBA. He is undersized for a shooting guard, and he will often give up 4-6 inches on opposing shooting guards. He also doesn't have great lateral quickness by NBA guard standards.
Draft Projection: Late second round or undrafted. While he has sound fundamentals and all the makings of a solid prospect, he will take at least a few years to fully develop to a level where he can substantially contribute to an NBA team. A 23-year-old who won't fully develop into a rotation guy until he's 26-27 is not exactly high on the list of offseason needs for most NBA teams.
All that being said, Baker also has one of the best work ethics of any player in the draft. He played 3A high school basketball in Kansas, received just two D-I offers and five years later, we're sitting here talking about him playing in the NBA. While his age will mostly be viewed as a negative by most NBA scouts, it also means he is vastly more mature than a lot of the one-and-done guys at the top of the draft board. You definitely don't have to worry about him getting arrested at a strip club or starting a fight in the locker room. An NBA team will undoubtedly give him a shot either through the draft or as an undrafted free agent.