Ron Baker to join Wichita State’s alumni TBT basketball team as GM of the AfterShocks
Since the formation of a Wichita State men’s basketball alumni team to compete in The Basketball Tournament, one former player has topped the wish list for many fans of the Shockers.
On Thursday morning, the dream became a reality when the AfterShocks announced Ron Baker will serve as the team’s general manager for this summer’s TBT. Baker is slated to talk to local media later Thursday afternoon.
While WSU fans want nothing more than to see No. 31 play again in Koch Arena, the same injuries that forced Baker to retire from professional basketball will prevent him from playing this summer for the AfterShocks.
But having Baker back in Koch Arena this summer — all-session tickets are on sale for the 16-team TBT Wichita Regional held July 16-20 at Koch Arena — even if it is just on the bench, is sure to appeal to WSU fans.
“Some of my best basketball memories happened inside the Roundhouse, and I can’t wait to make a few more this summer,” Baker said in a statement. “I’m looking forward being back around the guys, reconnecting with Shocker Nation and competing for a TBT championship.”
The effort to add Baker to the AfterShocks was spearheaded by a pair of his former teammates, Zach Bush and John Robert Simon, who have been running the team’s operations this time around.
Baker’s addition to the fold gives the AfterShocks some national recognition. Whether basketball fans remember Baker for his All-American career with the Shockers or for his NBA career with the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, the Scott City native is known across the country. As the team’s general manager, Baker could open doors — both in recruiting players and in negotiating sponsorships — that were previously closed to the team.
“We’re pleased to announce Ron as GM of the AfterShocks,” Bush said in a statement. “He’s not only one of the greatest Shockers ever, but also a class act who has the respect of our current and former players, as well as fans. We welcome his leadership and presence.”
As for the actual playing roster, the AfterShocks are in the midst of revealing their players on social media. So far Conner Frankamp (2015-18), Rashard Kelly (2014-18), Markis McDuffie (2015-19), Samajae Haynes-Jones (2017-19) and Darral Willis (2016-18) have all committed to play.
Baker has not played basketball since the end of the 2019-20 season when he played in the EuroLeague for CSKA Moscow. After having multiple surgeries, he has since returned to Wichita and begin pursuing business ventures, a new passion that made him a no-brainer for the GM role on the AfterShocks.
He is of course best known for being intricately linked to the program’s best years, as Baker’s career with the Shockers from 2012-16 coincided with nine NCAA Tournament wins and three straight conference championships. He was a breakout star in WSU’s run to the 2013 Final Four, then helped the Shockers to the first 35-0 start in NCAA history and the program’s first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament the following season.
This story was originally published May 13, 2021 at 7:58 AM.
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