Ron Baker (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ron Baker

Baker in 2019
Personal information
Born	(1993-03-30) March 30, 1993 (age 32) Hays, Kansas, U.S.
High school	Scott City (Scott City, Kansas)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Wichita State (2012–2016)
NBA Draft	2016 / Undrafted
Pro career	2016–2020
Career history
2016–2018	New York Knicks
2016–2017	→Westchester Knicks
2018–2019	Washington Wizards
2019–2020	CSKA Moscow
Career highlights and awards
3× First-team All-MVC (2014–2016) AP honorable mention All-American (2015)
Medals Representing the  United States Pan American Games Bronze 2015 Toronto National team

Ronald Delaine Baker (born March 30, 1993) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers. After college, he joined the NBA without being drafted. He played for the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards for three seasons.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Ron Baker was born in Hays, Kansas. He grew up in a small farming town called Utica, Kansas. He had one sister and one brother.

Ron started playing basketball very early. He even remembers holding a basketball when he was just one year old! His dad said basketball was easier to play than baseball. You only need a few friends to play basketball.

High School Basketball Star

Ron became a star player at Scott Community High. He dreamed of playing for the Kansas college team. But he was not very tall for his age. By the end of his junior year, he was only 6 feet (1.83 meters) tall. Only two college teams from Division I showed interest in him.

However, Ron grew to 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters) during the summer before his senior year. In his last year, he helped his team finish with a great record of 25 wins and 1 loss. He was named 3A First-Team All-State in Kansas.

The best moment of his high school career was winning the Class 3A state basketball championship. He made a game-winning shot right at the buzzer! He scored 26 points and had 9 rebounds in that game. This helped his school win its first-ever championship.

Even after all his success, many top college coaches didn't know about Ron. An ESPN.com writer noted that Ron was "Not Ranked" by recruiting experts. This meant he was not on their radar. Ron decided to join Wichita State as a "walk-on" player. This means he played without a scholarship at first.

College Career Highlights

Baker as a redshirt freshman for the 2012–13 Wichita State Shockers (left) and 4th-year junior for the 2014–15 team (right)

Ron chose to play for the Wichita State Shockers. He decided to "redshirt" his first year. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This helped him get stronger and better.

In his first playing season (2012–13), Ron became a great free-throw shooter. He shot 82.2% from the free-throw line. He also helped the Shockers make a surprise run to the semifinals of the 2013 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. He scored 16 points in a big win against the top-ranked Gonzaga team.

For the 2013–14 season, Ron was known as one of the best shooters in the MVC. He, Cleanthony Early, and Fred VanVleet led the team. The Shockers became the first NCAA Division I men's team in over 20 years to enter the NCAA tournament without losing a single game! Ron was named to the MVC All-Conference First Team.

During his college career, Ron helped Wichita State win three Missouri Valley Conference championships. They also won nine NCAA Tournament games. They reached the "Sweet 16" twice and made it to the "Final Four" in 2013. In his senior year (2015–16), he averaged 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

Ron also played for the United States team at the 2015 Pan American Games. He helped his team win a bronze medal.

Professional Basketball Career

New York Knicks (2016–2018)

Baker guards John Wall of the Washington Wizards in 2017

After college, Ron was not chosen in the 2016 NBA draft. But he joined the New York Knicks for their Summer League games. He played well enough to sign a contract with the Knicks on August 1, 2016. He earned a spot on their team for the start of the season.

Ron played his first NBA game on October 25, 2016. He scored 5 points. On December 15, 2016, he scored a career-high 13 points against the Golden State Warriors. He became a favorite among Knicks fans. During his first two seasons, he also played for the Westchester Knicks, which is the Knicks' minor league team.

In January 2018, Ron broke a bone near his left eye. This happened when he was trying to stop a player from the New Orleans Pelicans. In February 2018, he needed surgery on his right shoulder. This ended his season early. The Knicks later released him from the team in December 2018.

Washington Wizards (2018–2019)

On December 20, 2018, Ron signed with the Washington Wizards. He played in four games for them before being released in January 2019.

CSKA Moscow (2019–2020)

On August 1, 2019, Ron signed with CSKA Moscow, a team in Russia. This team plays in a league called the EuroLeague. He played 27 games in the EuroLeague, averaging 2.5 points per game. He left the team in May 2020.

National Team Player

Ron Baker played for the United States national team at the 2015 Pan American Games. He helped the team win a bronze medal in that competition.

Life After Basketball

In May 2021, Ron Baker announced that he had retired from playing basketball. He had hip surgery while playing overseas. He wanted to start a new chapter in his life, possibly in the business world.

He is now the general manager for a basketball team called AfterShocks. This team is made up mostly of former Wichita State basketball players. They play in a tournament called The Basketball Tournament. Ron has said he will not play in this tournament himself.

In August 2021, Ron started working as a project manager at a medical center in Wichita, Kansas.

Personal Life

Ron Baker is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. After his 2015–16 college season, Ron wrote a children's book. It is called You're Too Big to Dream Small. The book has illustrations and rhymes. It is based on his own life story. He signed 6,000 copies of the book when it was first released.

Ron Baker married Liv Nielsen in 2023. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in February 2024.

Images for kids

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  Ron Baker in 2013

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  Ron Baker in 2015

See also

In Spanish: Ron Baker para niños