Eagles land former NBA All-Star's son, stretch forward Vin Baker Jr.
Back in 1992 there was a story that Sports Illustrated traveled to New England to write about. It was what they believed to be 'Americas Best-Kept Secret' in Hartford University star big man, Vin Baker.
The native of Connecticut was a late bloomer in high school and in the early 1990's without the 24/7 sports recruiting cycle or the ability to type in a name and see any highlights on any player in the world, hardly anyone outside of the region knew about the 6-foot-11 scoring and shot-blocking machine playing at Hartford.
Now, 25 years later New England may hold another one of Americas best kept secrets which just happens to go by the same exact name. It's Boston College's newest basketball commit, Vin Baker Jr.
"I'm really excited," Vin Jr. told EagleAction. "It's not often that a kid from Connecticut gets this chance to play at such a high level."
"I'm extremely proud and excited for my son to get this opportunity to play at a big time institution," the four-time NBA All-Star and father of the new Eagle recruit told EagleAction. He added, "as a native New England kid who has always followed and known about Boston College, it's an honor for my son to be able to attend there for school."
"This ranks right up there with my lifetime accomplishments of being drafted 8th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, and winning a gold medal on the 2000 Olympic team. I couldn't be more proud of my son," the proud Dad explained.
"Boston College is top of the food chain and class in New England when it comes to education. Then you throw in the fact that he'll get to play basketball in the ACC? I'm being honest when I tell you that we just shut off our phones and were accepting no other offers after BC's offer," Vin Sr. said excitedly.
So how did this happen, how did Boston College find yet another under the radar prospect, this time in their own back yard of the recruiting rich landscape of New England Prep basketball?
A lot like his father, Vin Jr. was a late bloomer in New England. Not hitting his major growth spurt until the last few months. He only stood just 6-foot-2 until this year, where he measured in this weekend at just under 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan.
"I moved schools a lot growing up and it didn't allow myself to be put in the position to be looked at by high-major coaches," Vin Jr. said. "Not a lot of college coaches come to Connecticut to look at high school players, they come for the big name players at the Prep Schools."
The new Eagles commit didn't play on the big name AAU circuits either for the most part of his career. Another big reason for him being under the radar.
The Connecticut native grew up as a guard, and his recent change in height has allowed him to start the shift to a versatile stretch four man with ball handling skills, a smooth perimeter game, and the ability to pass like a guard.
"He can push the ball out to lead a break with his left hand. That's something I couldn't do. Not even when I was in the NBA," Vin Sr. said.
According to sources, Eagles assistant coach Scott Spinelli had seen Baker a couple weeks ago at an AAU event and was very interested. But he needed to get head coach Jim Christian on board, too. Coach Christian was a fan of the idea of what Vin Jr. could bring to the roster, but he wanted to watch him play for himself in person, in order to get a full evaluation.
The Baker's were planning on heading down to Miami, FL for a recruiting showcase event put on by 305 Hoops Inc., a basketball recruiting service in South Florida run by longtime high school basketball in area, Nick Ronda.
Ronda told EagleAction that he's known Coach Spinelli for many years, through his recruiting and scouting services at 305 Hoops Inc.
Coach Christian and his lead recruiter Spinelli made travel plans to head down to Miami for the Saturday showcase wedged in the middle of the second live recruiting period, but they knew this evaluation was important and they needed to make it happen.
Ronda, the former high school basketball coach of Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. puts on several showcase events for players all over the country. The events are run similar to a high level basketball practice. "We start with skill work, some individual work and then eventually get into some 5-on-5 live scrimmaging," Ronda told EagleAction.
"It's an interesting dynamic because you're able to watch how these players adapt with the changes and having to play with four new guys that they just met with all of these college coaches watching," Rhonda said.
"Right off the bat he proved he's a good kid and was very coachable," Rhonda added. "He was taking coaching, interacting with the staff and the other players all of which he had just met 15 minutes earlier in the morning."
Coach Ronda was very intrigued by Baker as soon as he got started on the floor, "for a kid that's so long and with big feet, he's got great lateral quickness." Ronda envisions with Baker's 7-foot-1 wingspan and guard skills from being a guard his entire life he could be a constant mismatch for forwards to defend. "You can put him wherever you want. His length, ball skills, and jump shot creates mismatches."
The thing that sticks out to me the most is that he's just 17 years old," Coach Ronda said. "You have to evaluate him as an 18 year old where he's been in a college basketball program for six months working on his game, being in a weight room, and bulking up."
The younger Baker can already score at all three levels and is consistent from 25 feet and in. "He's got great touch around the rim in the paint," his father, the former NBA big man said.
"After growing 7 inches in the last year, shooting should be hard on him," Coach Ronda said. "But it's not. His perimeter game was awesome."
He finished by saying, "he's going to grow some more and be a 6-foot-10 point forward. And once he gets more comfortable in his body, watch out."
Knowing that his son, who carries his name will from now on constantly be compared to his father, he offered some fair comparisons as a basketball analyst.
The current Fox Sports analyst who provides color commentary on each Milwaukee Bucks broadcast throughout the NBA season and a 14 year pro, Baker knows what he's talking about.
"I was a better shot blocker in high school, but we play different positions. I was a center," he said. "His defense is going to get better with strength work and the more and more he plays with his added length and size because of his timing."
What about on the offensive end of the floor? Vin Sr. was the NCAA's second leading scorer in the 1991 season and registered nearly 12,000 career points in the NBA, he knows a thing or two about getting buckets.
"He's much better than I was at 17," Baker started with. "He's light years ahead of me offensively." He expanded on that thought, "he's way more fundamentally sound."
Describing the in and outs of his sons game as an analyst he went on, "he plays with more confidence in his shot than I did at his age. He's a far better three point shooter than I ever was."
With the added strength soon down the road and the skill development that has helped create recent ACC stars in Chestnut Hill like Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson, and another one that looks like he's headed that way in Nik Popovic, what can Vin Jr. one day be?
"He has those broad shoulders that can fill out once he gets in a strength program he's really going to fill out," Vin Sr. said. "His length is incredible, and he has a skill set that he knows he can beat guys with, and he believes in that."
The proud father finished, "with added strength he can become really good."
"I can bring a little of everything to the floor with my game," Vin Jr. explained. "It's unique."
Vin Jr. knows he has some work to do before he steps on the floor for the Eagles. "I need to get better in order to compete at the highest level that is the ACC." He also knows what his father does, that his defense has to improve. "I need to improve my defense in order to guard all positions while on the floor."
"I'm 100-percent committed to Boston College and very excited about going to school there and playing in the ACC," an excited Vin Jr. said over the phone.
His father is pretty excited too, "I never wanted to be that Dad that's up in the stands wearing his son's jersey. But I've made up my mind now, that is going to be me," Vin Sr. said with a laugh.
"He's going to take our last name and that legacy to places I never did, in my opinion," the former America East Player of the Year and Olympic Gold Medalist said of his son.
"I'm so grateful and blessed. It couldn't of happened with a better school for my boy to go to."