Ron Baker knows people think he cost himself money that day in St. Louis in March 2014. What if he walked off the court at the Scottrade Center, accepted his “You’re a bad, bad boy,” props from Kentucky’s Andrew Harrison and popped for the NBA Draft that moment?
At that point, Baker was all 20 points on 4-of-6 from three-point range — against Kentucky and its lineup of at least five draft picks — potential and mystery to the NBA and the NBA loves potential, often more than production. There’s a chance Baker walks off that court after Wichita State’s 78-76 NCAA Tournament loss and into the first round of the NBA Draft.