Hogs recruiting 7-footer as Gafford replacement
LAS VEGAS — The Arkansas Razorbacks are expecting center Daniel Gafford to leave for the NBA after the upcoming season, and the Hogs hope center Will Baker is his replacement.
Baker, 7-0, 240 pounds, of Austin (Texas) Westlake has scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Texas, UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Stanford, Virginia, Texas A&M and numerous others.
The Hogs extended an offer to Baker on July 5 and have been a fixture at his games, including here in Las
Vegas with
Baker playing for Texas Hardwork in the Under Armour Finals.
Baker is use to seeing numerous coaches at his games, but he said it’s his parents who pay close attention.
“My parents more so see who the coaches are, but I’ll glance over there maybe before the game to see who’s kind of over there,” Baker said. “But I’m not too focused on it or anything.”
His sister attends school at Arkansas, and there’s a chance he might visit the Hogs when his parents drops her off for the fall semester.
“My sister actually goes there, so if I went there I’d be in school with my sister,” Baker said. “She’d be a senior, and I’d be a freshman. That’s pretty cool. I think they’re losing a big man, so they tell me I’d be the guy coming in for him, which is really awesome.
“I think we’re dropping my sister off back to campus later this summer, so I may go up with them and maybe have an unofficial visit. She likes it a lot. She’s studying business.”
Baker sees several schools as a good fit for his skill set, but he’s focused on relationships.
“Honestly, I think it comes down to the relaltionship with the coaches,” Baker said. “The head coach and the assistant coaches. It’s really who I trust the most, honestly.”
His main communication is with University of Arkansas, Fayetteville assistant coach Scotty Thurman.
“I really like them a lot,” Baker said. “I haven’t gotten a chance to really develop a relationship, it’s all pretty new, but I’ve talked to them on the phone quite a bit.”
ESPN rates Baker a fourstar prospect, the No. 8 center and the No. 27 overall prospect. He excels in the paint and has an outstanding touch from beyond the three-point line. He’s also an adept passer.
His ability to score inside-out is similar to that of former Razorback and current Chicago Bull forward Bobby Portis.
It appears he’ll start narrowing his list of schools soon.
“I haven’t narrowed my list down or started focusing on certain schools, so I’m still open,” Baker said. “I’ll start narrowing it down to fewer schools in early August, I would say.”
Baker’s timetable to announce his college decision is up in the air.
“I’ll probably sign later,” he said. “When I get the feeling of where I want to go, that’s when I’ll decide. So that could be next week, that could be three months from now.”
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com