WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State junior Ron Baker was named to his second national player of the year watch list in as many days, Thursday. He's one of 30 players tabbed to the Naismith Trophy Midseason List.
Baker - a 6-foot-4 guard from Scott City, Kan. – leads the 15th ranked Shockers at 15.5 points per game.
Baker and teammate Fred VanVleet were both among the 50 players named to this year's preseason watch list.
A group of 10 semifinalists for the award will be announced on Friday, March 6, and a group of four finalists will be unveiled on March 22. The award is presented on April 5, on the eve of the National Championship game.
The Naismith Award is named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, creator of the game of basketball. It has been awarded annually since 1969 to the men's player of the year and expanded to include the women's national player of the year in 1983 and national coaches of the year in 1987.
In 2014, Shocker head coach Gregg Marshall won the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, and VanVleet was among the 10 National Semifinalists for player of the year.
For more information on the awards, visit naismithtrophy.com.
-Wichita State-
