Former Texas basketball C Will Baker in the portal for the second time
For the second time in his collegiate career to date, former Texas basketball big man and Austin, TX, native Will Baker has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. A report from On3’s Jamie Shaw on the morning of April 3 confirms that Baker put his name in the transfer portal early this offseason.
Baker will be seeking out the third stop of his collegiate career after spending one year at Texas and two playing for the Nevada Wolfpack. He started his collegiate career with Texas under former head coach Shaka Smart as a true freshman during the 2019-20 campaign.
As a true freshman, Baker played sparingly, despite his five-star status as a recruit coming out of Austin Westlake High School in the 2019 class. Baker averaged just two points per game and two rebounds in 23 games played during the 2019-20 season at Texas.
He wound up transferring early in the 2020-21 season. Baker didn’t play a single game for the Longhorns during the 2020-21 campaign before eventually committing to Nevada out of the portal on Jan. 1, 2021.
Ex-Texas basketball C Will Baker in the portal for the second time in three years
Nevada center Will Baker is in the transfer portal, per @JamieShaw5.
— On3 (@On3sports) April 3, 2023
Baker was a former top 50 recruit and began his college career at Texas.
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Baker was very productive during his two seasons at Nevada. He made an impact on Nevada’s frontcourt unit right away in the 2021-22 season, scoring in the double figures while averaging five rebounds per game. Baker also shot an insane 55 percent from the field and 39 percent from deep in his first year playing for the Wolf Pack.
After a solid inaugural campaign at Nevada in 2021-22, Baker was even better in the season that just wrapped up for the Wolf Pack. Baker got his first all-conference honors as he led all Nevada starters in player efficiency rating, win shares per 40 minutes and true shooting percentage.
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Baker also averaged a career-best 13.6 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks in the season that was.
The 6-foot-11 and 240-pound Baker will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next stop out of the portal ahead of the 2023-24 college hoops season.