Vin Baker
Encyclopedia
Vincent Lamont Baker (born November 23, 1971, in Lake Wales, Florida
) is a former American
professional basketball
player who played in the NBA
. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Game
s before his career was halted due to alcoholism
.
. Even though he had an impressive senior season, he was still considered lanky and undersized for a big man. Thus, he was passed over by the bigger Division I schools and signed a scholarship offer from the University of Hartford
Hawks
.
As one of 8 newcomers in 1989, Baker's college career started slow, averaging on 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, enough for a spot on the North Atlantic Conference All-Rookie Team. Things changed drastically during Baker's sophomore season; now as a starter, Baker averaged 19.7ppg and 10.4rpg and a First Team All-NAC spot. As a junior, Baker averaged 27.6 ppg (2nd in the country), 9.9 rpg, and 3.7 blocks per game (5th in the country), though the team finished with an abysmal 6-21 record. Entering his final season, Baker was called "America's Best-Kept Secret" by Sports Illustrated
. Baker averaged 28.3ppg (4th in the country) and finished with 792 points in only 28 games, a conference record that still remains in the NAC (now America East Conference
). He finished with 2,238 points, a school record that still stands. However, Baker was not able to translate his immense scoring abilities into team success, as none of his teams ever made the NCAA tournament, and the best his Hartford
teams ever finished in a season was .500 (14-14).
Baker’s jersey (#42) hangs on the east wall of Chase Arena in the Reich Family Pavilion.
, not far from where he grew up in Old Saybrook, Baker was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
with the 8th pick of the 1993 NBA Draft
. After four seasons with the Bucks, he was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
following the 1996–97 NBA season in a three-team deal that sent Tyrone Hill
and Terrell Brandon
to the Bucks, and Shawn Kemp
and Sherman Douglas
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
. After four years in Seattle, Baker was traded to the Boston Celtics
with Shammond Williams
for Kenny Anderson
, Vitaly Potapenko
and Joseph Forte
.
, Baker's weight ballooned to near 300 pounds and his game suffered tremendously. While Baker was able to get his weight down to around 250, Baker revealed that he was a recovering alcoholic who used to binge
in hotel rooms and at home after playing poorly. In an interview in the Boston Globe, Baker said Celtics coach Jim O'Brien smelled alcohol on him in practice and confronted him about it. The team suspended him and he was eventually released. Baker would sign with the New York Knicks
. The team reached the playoffs in the 2003-04 NBA season
.
for Maurice Taylor
on February 24, 2005. The Rockets would ultimately release Baker on October 7, 2005.http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Rockets_Release_Vin_Baker-153006-34.html He would spend the 2005-06 NBA season
in a reserve role with the Los Angeles Clippers
.
on October 1, 2006, reuniting him with head coach Dwane Casey
, who served as an assistant coach when Vin was in Seattle. His tenure in Minnesota would be short-lived though, Baker was released from the Timberwolves on November 13, 2006. He never played in a regular season game after being on the inactive list for the first six games.
On June 3, 2011, he was hired as an assistant high school boys basketball coach at St. Bernard School in Uncasville, CT .
On June 19, 2007, Baker was arrested in Norwich, Connecticut
for drunk driving after leaving Foxwoods Resort Casino
.
On June 21, 2008 ml-implode.com reported Baker's 10000 sq ft (929 m²). Durham, Connecticut home was foreclosed and put up for sale for $2.3 million. The house was purchased by U.S. Bank for $2.5 million at an auction on June 28, 2008.
Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Game
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
s before his career was halted due to alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
High school and college
Baker played for Old Saybrook High School in Old Saybrook, ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Even though he had an impressive senior season, he was still considered lanky and undersized for a big man. Thus, he was passed over by the bigger Division I schools and signed a scholarship offer from the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
Hawks
Hartford Hawks
The Hartford Hawks are the athletic teams of the University of Hartford. The school sponsors 18 varsity sports , all of which compete in the Division I America East Conference. The Hawks' colors are scarlet and white.-Teams:...
.
As one of 8 newcomers in 1989, Baker's college career started slow, averaging on 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, enough for a spot on the North Atlantic Conference All-Rookie Team. Things changed drastically during Baker's sophomore season; now as a starter, Baker averaged 19.7ppg and 10.4rpg and a First Team All-NAC spot. As a junior, Baker averaged 27.6 ppg (2nd in the country), 9.9 rpg, and 3.7 blocks per game (5th in the country), though the team finished with an abysmal 6-21 record. Entering his final season, Baker was called "America's Best-Kept Secret" by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. Baker averaged 28.3ppg (4th in the country) and finished with 792 points in only 28 games, a conference record that still remains in the NAC (now America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
). He finished with 2,238 points, a school record that still stands. However, Baker was not able to translate his immense scoring abilities into team success, as none of his teams ever made the NCAA tournament, and the best his Hartford
Hartford Hawks
The Hartford Hawks are the athletic teams of the University of Hartford. The school sponsors 18 varsity sports , all of which compete in the Division I America East Conference. The Hawks' colors are scarlet and white.-Teams:...
teams ever finished in a season was .500 (14-14).
Baker’s jersey (#42) hangs on the east wall of Chase Arena in the Reich Family Pavilion.
Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics
After a college career at the University of HartfordUniversity of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
, not far from where he grew up in Old Saybrook, Baker was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
with the 8th pick of the 1993 NBA Draft
1993 NBA Draft
The 1993 NBA Draft took place on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The draft had some talented players at the top, but injuries and personal problems hurt many of them. Anfernee Hardaway, Allan Houston, and Jamal Mashburn all looked like possible Hall of Famers until their careers were cut...
. After four seasons with the Bucks, he was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
following the 1996–97 NBA season in a three-team deal that sent Tyrone Hill
Tyrone Hill
Tyrone Hill is a retired American basketball player and, since 2008–09, assistant coach for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Hill spent four years playing collegiately at Xavier University, in his last season averaging 20.2 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.1% from the field...
and Terrell Brandon
Terrell Brandon
Thomas Terrell Brandon is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . Terrell was known throughout his 10-year career for his passing ability and stealing skills.-Early life:...
to the Bucks, and Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Shawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
and Sherman Douglas
Sherman Douglas
Sherman Douglas is a retired American professional basketball player from Syracuse University who played for the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers from 1989 to 2001...
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. After four years in Seattle, Baker was traded to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
with Shammond Williams
Shammond Williams
Shammond Omar Williams is a naturalized Georgian professional basketball player who grew up in the United States . The 6'1" combination point guard/shooting guard is known for his long-range shooting accuracy...
for Kenny Anderson
Kenny Anderson
Kenneth "Kenny" Anderson is a retired American basketball player. After a college career at Georgia Institute of Technology, he played point guard professionally from 1991 to 2006, mostly in the National Basketball Association....
, Vitaly Potapenko
Vitaly Potapenko
Vitaly Nikolaevich Potapenko is a Ukrainian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Wright State University and was selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1996 NBA Draft...
and Joseph Forte
Joseph Forte
Joseph Xavier "Joe" Forte is an American professional basketball player.-Beginnings:Forte got his start at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. There, Forte played under the instruction of legendary high school prep coach Morgan Wootten. Forte's teammate at DeMatha, Keith Bogans,...
.
Boston Celtics and New York Knicks
While his career averages include 15.1 points per game, his numbers had dropped considerably in recent years. After the 1998-99 NBA lockout season1998-99 NBA season
The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association . Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999 after a new six year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association...
, Baker's weight ballooned to near 300 pounds and his game suffered tremendously. While Baker was able to get his weight down to around 250, Baker revealed that he was a recovering alcoholic who used to binge
Binge drinking
Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is the modern epithet for drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. It is a kind of purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide,...
in hotel rooms and at home after playing poorly. In an interview in the Boston Globe, Baker said Celtics coach Jim O'Brien smelled alcohol on him in practice and confronted him about it. The team suspended him and he was eventually released. Baker would sign with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The team reached the playoffs in the 2003-04 NBA season
2003-04 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves*Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers...
.
Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers
Baker was traded to the Rockets with Moochie NorrisMoochie Norris
Martyn "Moochie" Norris is an American former professional basketball player.Norris, a journeyman, played collegiately at Odessa College , at Auburn University and at the University of West Florida . He was drafted with 33rd overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft by Milwaukee Bucks...
for Maurice Taylor
Maurice Taylor
Maurice De Shawn Taylor is an American professional basketball power forward.-College career:Taylor attended the University of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994 Maui Invitational with fellow freshman Maceo Baston...
on February 24, 2005. The Rockets would ultimately release Baker on October 7, 2005.http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Rockets_Release_Vin_Baker-153006-34.html He would spend the 2005-06 NBA season
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
in a reserve role with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Baker signed with the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
on October 1, 2006, reuniting him with head coach Dwane Casey
Dwane Casey
Dwane Casey is a former NCAA basketball player and coach who currently is a head coach in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors.-Early years:Casey was born in Morganfield, Kentucky, and graduated from Union County High School in 1975....
, who served as an assistant coach when Vin was in Seattle. His tenure in Minnesota would be short-lived though, Baker was released from the Timberwolves on November 13, 2006. He never played in a regular season game after being on the inactive list for the first six games.
Other enterprises
Vin Baker has a non-profit foundation called the Stand Tall Foundation. The Stand Tall Foundation is an organization that helps give kids a better future by financially assisting with different charitable and volunteer organizations. The goal of the Stand Tall Foundation is to help young people with their education, personal development and general well-being.On June 3, 2011, he was hired as an assistant high school boys basketball coach at St. Bernard School in Uncasville, CT .
Personal life
Baker's mother is Jean Baker. His father, Rev. James Baker, is an auto mechanic and Baptist minister.On June 19, 2007, Baker was arrested in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
for drunk driving after leaving Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is a hotel-casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States. Together with the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, it is one of the largest casino complexes in the world in terms of floor space for gaming. The entire resort comprises of space. The casino has over 380 gaming tables...
.
On June 21, 2008 ml-implode.com reported Baker's 10000 sq ft (929 m²). Durham, Connecticut home was foreclosed and put up for sale for $2.3 million. The house was purchased by U.S. Bank for $2.5 million at an auction on June 28, 2008.