Baker to Shock the MVC

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Evann Baker, looking away, will attend prep school before attending Wichita State University. That school's location far from his D.C. area home did not deter him, as he stated "I'll be alright, everybody gets homesick".

August 1, 2006 – Coaches in the Missouri Valley Conference will have to deal with a skilled competitor who just loves to play ball, in 2007-2008. Standing 6’3” and weighing 180lbs, Evann Baker is taking his all around game to the state of Kansas.

After attending Maine Central Institute this upcoming year, Baker, a Silver Spring, MD native, will become a Wichita State Shocker. During a recent phone interview between games at the AAU Nationals, Evann shared “I picked Wichita State because it’s just a good situation for me”.

Upon being pressed to elaborate, Baker indicated “I can play right away, and Coach (Mark) Turgeon is an excellent coach”. Additionally, despite the increased attention he has received from colleges due to his AAU/travel team performance this spring and summer, Evann has not wavered from his interest in Wichita State, as he stated the school “was loyal to me” through everything, and resultantly he has reciprocated the fealty.

One person who confirmed the recent deluge of interest Baker has generated is long time D.C. basketball figure and mentor, Walter Ray. Through his program EGOS (Education, Goals, Opportunities, in Sports), Ray shared during a recent phone interview, he has worked with over 500 young people from “all over the (Washington) area, as well as “North Carolina and Africa”. The organization not only provides hoops opportunities for players, but more importantly academic support and guidance, including SAT preparation courses.

“Absolutely”, responded Ray when asked if Johnnie-come-lately schools were starting to beat down Evann’s door. “But Wichita came first”. He went on to add “They didn’t go by the scouting reports. They relied on their eye for talent”.

Maryland Madness, a top notch AAU/travel circuit team, has provided Evann Baker a canvas, in which to paint masterpieces. The kid called "E-Bake" has done just that.

And talent is plentiful in Baker, which he has displayed it consistently since completing his senior season at Archbishop Carroll High School, in Washington, DC year. Playing AAU/travel team ball for Maryland Madness, Evann has shown an ability to not only get to the hoop via dribble penetration in open and half court settings, but hit the jumper, find open teammates, and defend whoever is put in front of him.

During both the Charlie Weber Easter Hoop Fest and the D.C. Pro Am, Baker impressed at both backcourt positions, but it was his lead guard work that stood out. In Hoop Fest action, Evann scored 50 points in his first three games, and later revealed his team’s coach for that event, Ennis Whatley, had entrusted him to “run the show”, which he did with aplomb.

Baker (#23), dropped 18 points in Maryland Madness' D.C. Pro Am championship loss. As a reward for having played well all tourney long, Evann was voted on the all-tournament team.

Before AAU/travel team ball, Baker also starred in the 33rd Annual Capital Classic’s preliminary game. During the contest, in which his team won 124-117, the young man dropped 18 points, 2 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals, all while dominating action – particularly in the second half.

When later asked about that performance, which earned a spot on the Capital Classic’s all-event team, Baker responded “For real for real, I think I should have been in the big game”, and as such “I definitely used that as motivation” during and after the contest.

Evann Baker (far right), showed he could play with anybody during the 33rd Annual Capitol Classic. He is shown here being named all-event team.

In addition to playing against high level competition, Evann has focused on skill development, including perfecting his ability to “shoot off the dribble”, as well as “seeing the whole floor” before he departs for Maine Central during late August. That skill development will facilitate his move to full time point guard - a transition he shared that is necessary, oddly enough, due to his long standing propensity to score: “I played point guard when I was younger. It was just that I scored so well, that they thought of me as a shooting guard. I want to show people I can play both”.

Having worked with Evann since the young man was “nine” (a year after Baker started playing the sport), Ray labeled the young guy “Happy go-lucky. A hoops junky that is a people person”.

Baker, who indicated he “will probably major in sports management” upon matriculation to Wichita State, plans to continue “making every around me better” on the court as a Shocker.

Ray, whom Baker, along with his “mother and family” (including four brothers and cousin Jerome Dyson – himself a freshman at UConn) thanked for their support, assistance, and guidance, feels the young guy will make an impact at Wichita State. “The sky’s the limit” said Ray, who then went on to mention his belief Evann will grow taller, due to a “size 15 shoe”.

Baker's longtime mentor also exclaimed “We are really proud of him…he did it the hard way”. Hats off to Evann Baker, another D.C. area product who has shown the heart, skills, and work ethic to secure a college scholarship. Though it will take a year before he gets there, the fans in Wichita will realize they have a keeper, on and off the floor.