One more look at Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet at Wichita State
Eleven essential Baker/VanVleet stories:
March 19, 2016 — The Ron and Fred Club has a million members. It feels like they’re adored by young and old and even by crusty reporters like me, who relied on their insights and willingness to talk during good times and bad.
Imagine the emotions they were experiencing Saturday as they attempted to understand why the Shockers lost, examine their parts in the defeat and gain perspective on their incredible careers.
March 18, 2016 — But, in a strange way, it seems as if the NBA stock of both players has dropped the longer they’ve been at Wichita State. As accolades pile up, the analysts who follow this stuff closely don’t regard either as top pro prospects.
Crazy.
March 14, 2016 — “People are not proud to say that they are from Rockford,” said J.D. Danforth, VanVleet’s brother. “He’s making it cool to say that ‘Hey, I am from Rockford.’ A lot of kids around here need that positive influence to know that you can make it out of a place that’s rough. You’ve got violence. You’ve got crime. Fred made it.”
March 14, 2016 — They’ve worn a path between Wichita and Scott City over the past four years. Neil’s Ford Escape has rolled more than 170,000 miles.
The Bakers love coming to Wichita for Shocker games, but they love going home, too.
Jan. 16, 2016 — “Our friendship is damn-near the same thing as me and my brother,” VanVleet said of Baker. “Whether we’re talking every day or not, it’s still there. There’s an actual real love and trust, a real friendship. He’s one of the best friends I’ve had.”
Dec. 30, 2015 — “The guy is Rambo,” ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla said after the Pan Am Games in July. “He plays fearlessly. He went toe-to-toe with some physical, grown men who know how to play the game and he really helped Team USA. He, arguably, was the best collegian. Most of them got better as the week went on, but he showed the most growth.”
Nov. 4, 2015 — Ron Baker, Evan Wessel and Fred VanVleet are starting their final seasons with the Wichita State basketball team. Baker and Wessel arrived in 2011 and roomed together in Fairmount Towers. Baker, from Scott City, redshirted while Wessel, from Wichita, played in 13 games as a freshman
Baker hosted VanVleet during his recruiting visit and he joined the Shockers in 2012, coming from Rockford, Ill.
March 19, 2014 — As long as VanVleet can remember, Danforth has challenged him and his brothers when they faced a daunting opponent by saying, “What are they going to do you? Is he going to shoot you? Is he going to stab you?”
Tough talk.
“But it’s true,” VanVleet said.
Dec 30, 2014 — It is Missouri Valley Conference basketball time and that means student sections are warming up for Wichita State, planning their court-storming route and their Ron Baker signs. Boosted by the Final Four, great hair and a great jump shot, Baker is the Hunter Pence of the MVC, a constant target of teasing and signage from fans.
April 2, 2013 — Surrounded by pandemonium, Baker’s mind was clear when his postgame interview with TNT’s Jaime Maggio concluded. The camera cut to Baker, who pointed and looked right into millions of living rooms across the country and spoke from his heart.
“Scott City, I love you.”
From the farm to the Final Four, Baker’s journey begins and ends with Scott City.
March 27, 2013 — A few steps away from the living room is VanVleet’s old bedroom, and that’s part of the story, too. When the family bought an American Idol game for PlayStation, he declined to play. One day his mom found him practicing alone in his bedroom.
“You can’t play nothing if you’re going to lose,” he said. “I didn’t know how to play.”
A video collection
From NCAA.com
Ron Baker highlights
From CBS Sports
From CBS Sports
From The Wichita Eagle/Kansas.com
Honors
Ron Baker
2015-16
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
All-Missouri Valley Conference
MVC All-Defensive Team
2014-15
Wooden Award All-American
USA Today second team All-American
Honorable mention Associated Press All-American
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
All-Missouri Valley Conference
Lute Olson Award Finalist
Oscar Robertston Award Finalist
Jerry West Award Finalist
2013-14
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
All-Missouri Valley Conference
Fred VanVleet
2015-16
Honorable mention Associated Press All-American
MVC Player of the Year
All-Missouri Valley Conference
MVC All-Defensive Team
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
Senior CLASS Award second team
2014-15
Honorable mention Associated Press All-American
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
All-Missouri Valley Conference
MVC All-Defensive Team
MVC All-Tournament
Bob Cousy Award finalist
Lute Olson Award finalist
2013-14
Third team All-American (The Sporting News, NABC)
Honorable mention Associated Press All-American
MVC Player of the Year
USBWA All-District VI
NABC All-District 16
All-Missouri Valley Conference
MVC All-Defensive Team
MVC All-Tournament
MVC Most Improved Team
Bob Cousy Award finalist
Where they rank at Wichita State (career)
Points
1. Cleo Littleton (1951-55), 2,164
8. Ron Baker (2011-16), 1,636
15. Fred VanVleet (2012-16), 1,439
Scoring average
1. Dave Stallworth (1961-65), 24.2
26. Baker (2011-16), 13.2
Field goals made
1. Xavier McDaniel (1981-85), 893
11. Baker (2011-16), 522
25. VanVleet (2012-16), 463
Field goals attempted
1. Cleo Littleton (1951-55), 1,861
13. . Baker (2011-16), 1,205
17. VanVleet (2012-16), 1,086
Three-pointers made
1. Randy Burns (2001-05), 248
2. . Baker (2011-16), 242
8. VanVleet (2012-16), 141
Three-pointers attempted
1. Baker (2011-16), 655
9. VanVleet (2012-16), 365
Three-point percentage
1. Gary Cundiff (1982-84, 85-87), 48.5
19. VanVleet (2012-16), 38.6
26. Baker (2011-16), 36.9
Free throws made
1. Cleo Littleton (1951-55), 642
7. VanVleet (2012-16), 372
11. Baker (2011-16), 350
Free throws attempted
1. Cleo Littleton (1951-55), 872
13. VanVleet (2012-16), 462
17. Baker (2011-16), 437
Free throw percentage
1. Matt Clark (2000-04), 87.5
14. VanVleet (2012-16), 80.5
16. Baker (2011-16), 80.1
Rebounds
1. Xavier McDaniel (1981-85), 1,359
35. Baker (2011-16), 521
47. VanVleet (2012-16), 467
Assists
1. VanVleet (2012-16), 637
9. Baker (2011-16), 345
Assists average
1. Warren Armstrong (1965-68), 5.5
7. VanVleet (2012-16), 4.5
28. Baker (2011-16), 2.8
Blocked shots
1. Antoine Carr (1979-83), 209
13. Baker (2011-16), 76
Steals
1. VanVleet (2012-16), 225
4. Baker (2011-16), 163
Steals average
1. Robert George (1990-92), 2.1
4. VanVleet (2012-16), 1.6
9. Baker (2011-16), 1.3
Games played
T1. VanVleet (2012-16), Tekele Cotton (2011-15), 141
T11. Baker (2011-16), 124
Games started
1. Toure Murry (2008-12), 130
2. Baker (2011-16), 121
8. VanVleet (2012-16), 102
Minutes
1. Toure Murry (2008-12), 3,999
4. Baker (2011-16), 3,796
5. VanVleet (2012-16), 3,775
Minutes average
1. Randy Smithson (1979-81), 35.1
12. Baker (2011-16), 30.6
31. VanVleet (2012-16), 26.8
Where they rank at Wichita State (season)
Points
1. Xavier McDaniel (1984-85), 844
21. Baker (2014-15), 516
35. VanVleet (2014-15), 475
Three-pointers made
1. Sean Ogirri (2005-06), 91
2. Ron Baker (2014-15), 80
5. Ron Baker (2013-14), 68
10. Ron Baker (2015-16), 64
Three-pointers attempted
1. Ron Baker (2014-15), 209
5. Ron Baker (2015-16), 183
6. Ron Baker (2013-14), 179
Three-point shooting percentage
1. Joe Ragland (2011-12), 50.4
21. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 41.8
Free throws made
1. Cleo Littleton (1954-55), 220
14. Fred VanVleet (2014-15), 133
Free throw percentage
1. Matt Clark (2003-04), 91.5
32. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 83
Assists
1. Warren Armstrong (1967-68), 194
2. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 193
4. Fred VanVleet (2014-15), 183
6. Fred VanVleet (2015-16), 172
31. Ron Baker (2015-16), 113
Assists average
1. Warren Armstrong (1967-68), 7.5
8. Fred VanVleet (2015-16), 5.5
11. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 5.4
14. Fred VanVleet (2014-15), 5.2
Steals
1. Malcolm Armstead (2012-13), 76
2. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 69
4. Fred VanVleet (2014-15), 66
T9. Jason Perez (1998-99), 55
Fred VanVleet (2015-16), 55
11. Ron Baker (2015-16), 53
14. Ron Baker (2013-14), 51
22. Ron Baker (2014-15), 45
Steals average
1. Jason Perez (1999-2000), 2.3
7. Fred VanVleet (2013-14), 1.9
9. Fred VanVleet (2014-15), 1.9
11. Fred VanVleet (2015-16), 1.9
19. Ron Baker (2015-16), 1.5
Where they rank in the Missouri Valley Conference (career)
Scoring
1. Hersey Hawkins, Bradley (1984-88), 3,008 points
56. Ron Baker (2012-16), 1,636
82. Fred VanVleet (2012-16), 1,504
Assists
1. Anthony Manuel, Bradley (1985-89), 855
5. Fred VanVleet (2012-16), 673
Steals
1. Ryan Sears, Creighton (1997-01), 283
10. Fred VanVleet (2012-16), 225
Three-pointers made
1. Kyle Korver, Creighton (1993-2003), 371
18 Ron Baker (2012-16), 242
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 8:28 PM.