Texas transfer, Will Baker, joins The Pack
RENO, Nev. (BVM) — Men’s basketball at the University of Nevada, Reno has seen its share of success over the past few years, from tutelage under Eric Mussleman who coached NBA prospects Cody and Caleb Martin and Jordan Caroline, as well as going 29-8 in 2018. The team has pushed past its limits and continues to reach achievements under Steve Alford.
Steve Alford, former coach at UCLA, came to Nevada in 2019 and since joining The Pack, the rebuilding of the team and the foundation of the program has been impacted. Seeing a new team on the court refreshes the idea of what it means to be at the University of Nevada, as The Law of the Jungle states and is chanted before each game, “For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”
The Pack has grown. Among the 55 NCAA basketball transfers this year, UNR has gained former University of Texas player Will Baker. The five-star recruit made his decision on Nevada after being offered by multiple universities such as UCLA, TCU and Gonzaga.
In an interview with the local news network, Nevada Sports Net, Baker shared his thoughts on becoming a part of the Nevada team.
“Me and Coach Alford already had a pretty solid relationship,” Baker said. “ You know, when I was coming out of high school it was really between UT and UCLA, and that was a hard decision in itself, but I feel really comfortable with him and I feel like we have a pretty good relationship. I’m looking forward to playing under him and just growing as a player. And I know he’s coached players that have similar skill sets as mine so I’m looking forward to just improving and working toward my goal.”
His last season at Texas, Baker averaged 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per game. Playing the center position did not stop his ability to shoot as often as he could. In his freshman season, he shot 27.5 percent from the field.
Alford expects great things having Baker as a new addition to the team, he told NSN.
“He’s somebody who’s a big piece of our puzzle in what we’re trying to build and build around just because of his skill set,” Alford said. “He has great feet, great hands, can score it inside and out. He’s going to end up being a really good defender. He’s a huge piece for us and what we’re trying to put together.”
Baker will be eligible to play next season. Welcome to the Wolf Pack, Baker.
