WAC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

7. Ian Baker

Baker is a 6’0 combo guard from Washington DC who had himself quite the career at New Mexico State. He joined the Aggies back in 2013 and was responsible for a ton of success for the program during that time. Throughout his career in the WAC Baker also put up some great numbers on both sides of the ball.

He wasn’t a starter as a freshman but did play in the NCAA Tournament. Nearly averaging double-figures as a sophomore, he’d get the Aggies to another conference title and trip to the Big Dance, though his upperclassman years were the highlights. As a junior, he averaged 13.8 points per game and led the Aggies to the NIT, tripped up in the conference tournament after another regular season title. In his senior season he was up to 16.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists a game, with a 36-point effort against UTRGV and a third appearance in the Big Dance.

Baker was named WAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP as a senior, but earned First Team All-WAC honors in each of his final two seasons. He became a critical scorer for the Aggies and was a great defender as well, finishing among the league’s leaders in steals and earning All-Defense honors as a junior. Baker had four successful year at New Mexico State, as the program won 100 games during his time in Las Cruces.