Joey Baker
Joseph William Baker is an American professional basketball player for the Joondalup Wolves of the NBL1 West. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and the Michigan Wolverines. Baker was a four-star recruit in high school and the number 3 player in North Carolina according to ESPN.
High school career
Baker attended Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, North Carolina.Recruiting
Baker was a four-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2019 class, before reclassifying to the 2018 class. He was ranked No.41 overall recruit in the class of 2018.College career
Duke (2018–2022)
Freshman season (2018–19)
On October 29, 2017, Baker committed to playing college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils over offers from Kansas, Tennessee and UCLA. Baker would join a recruiting class that featured future NBA players RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Williamson, as well as Tre Jones for the 2018–19 [Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team]. During his freshman year, Baker was set to redshirt for the entire season, until coach Mike Krzyzewski put him into the game against Syracuse to fill in for the injured Williamson on February 23, 2019.Sophomore season (2019–20)
On December 19, 2019, Baker put up a career high in points scored with 22 against the Wofford Terriers.Junior season (2020–21)
As a junior, Baker appeared in 23 games only averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.Senior season (2021–22)
On October 11, 2021, Baker was named team captain alongside Wendell Moore Jr. for the 2021–22 season. As a senior, Baker averaged 4.5 points and 1.2 rebound per game. On May 8, 2022, Baker completed his undergraduate degree in Political Science and graduated from Duke University.Michigan (2022–2023)
On June 18, 2022, Baker transferred to the University of Michigan as a graduate transfer for his final year of college basketball eligibility. During the offseason Baker had offseason hip surgery. Baker didn't celebrate senior night with the Duke Blue Devils [men's basketball">Duke Blue Devils men's basketball">Duke Blue Devils [men's basketball team|2021–22 Duke Blue Devils], because he anticipated playing his fifth year there, but he did celebrate it with the 2022–23 [Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team|2022–23 Michigan Wolverines] on February 26 against 2022–23 [Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team|Wisconsin]. In the opening round of the 2023 National Invitation Tournament, against 2022–23 [Toledo Rockets men's basketball team|Toledo] on March 14, 2023, Baker posted season-highs in points, field goals made, and three-pointers made on 8-11 shooting. Following the game, he announced that he was pursuing a retroactive redshirt from his freshman season in 2018–19. Baker later decided to hire an agent and pursue professional opportunities.Professional career
Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys (2023–2024)
After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Baker signed his first professional contract with Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys of the Lithuanian Basketball League on September 14, 2023. He left the team in February 2024 after appearing in 14 games, where he averaged 5.4 points per game.Grand Rapids Gold (2024–2025)
In March 2024, Baker joined the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League for the rest of the 2023–24 [NBA G League season|2023–24 season]. In nine games, he averaged 4.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.In October 2024, Baker re-joined the Gold for the 2024–25 NBA G League season. In 19 games, he averaged 3.9 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.