Joey Baker has had an up-and-down career at Duke but what has always jumped out at us, besides the obvious, is that he really loves being part of his team. Most players like being part of team but Baker just seems to relish being at Duke. Go back and watch the end of the big win at UNC last season and look how much he enjoys being in the dog pile. Again, everyone loves being in that situation, if they’re so lucky, but Baker? More than most.
It’s hard not to appreciate that.
Baker’s gift, obviously, is shooting. He’s been inconsistent, but when he’s hitting, it’s fun to watch.
He’s a junior now, and in the modern era, you don’t get a lot of juniors who are going to get minutes. It’s not clear that he will, but he’s worked hard and it could pay off. And as Justin Robinson proved, you can have a major impact even if you don’t get major minutes.
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