Baker article

["James A. Hill" <jahill@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In case you didn't see this article in the Globe I thought I'd send it to
you.

Baker is going to make Wallace look like a genus.

<Jim


Put in his place

Baker confident trade 'home' to Boston will help revitalize career

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 8/2/2002

URHAM, Conn. - Vin Baker is an unfailingly generous host, despite the
fact you do not know him well and you more or less invited yourself
along for the weekend. When he gives directions to his offseason house
overlooking the Connecticut River Valley, Baker ends with his street
number, as if it isn't obvious the brick mansion belongs to the only NBA
player living in this rural town of 6,600.



The house that once belonged to a dot-com millionaire now features a
basketball court so Baker can work on his low-post game, a gym, a heated
pool, a bowling alley, a sauna, and a projection room.

Currently, friends and relatives are more permanent fixtures than
furniture. Carpets are rolled against the living room wall next to a
Steinway piano, a couch, and stacks of paintings and ornate glassware.
All the open space with cathedral ceilings makes the mansion appear even
bigger than its 15,000 square feet. Contractors and kids have the run of
the place as Baker creates his dream home 25 miles from his hometown of
Old Saybrook.

But the kitchen is finished and fully stocked for a weekend of feasts.
Baker ''cooked up a little something'' for his guests, which meant
barbecued pork ribs for 50 at a ''Welcome to the Celtics'' party
Saturday night, and marinated steaks, mashed potatoes, pasta, and salad
for a gathering

of about 15 people after church Sunday. By late afternoon, the laid-back
Sunday lunch turned into a birthday party for the 6-year-old son of a
good friend from the University of Hartford. The pool and basketball
court were overrun by kids, all of whom called Baker ''Uncle Vin''
though Baker is an only child.

''Some people need to get far away from home because there's too much
pressure from having to deal with too many things,'' said friend and
skill enhancement coach Stephen Gordon, who lives above the gym and
basketball court in the pool house. ''As you can see, he likes being
around this. Everyone wants to be around him and he wants to be around
them. For Vin Baker, home is where he wants to be.''

Friends described Baker as ''a man on an island'' in Seattle, which was
literally true as he made his home on Mercer Island. But it was a
combination of factors that actually left Baker adrift, wishing for a
way back to New England.

A relationship that began to unravel with a coaching change from George
Karl to Paul Westphal continued to sour on both sides with Baker
becoming even more confused about his role under present coach Nate
McMillan.

A weight gain during the lockout was followed by the public backlash
that can come with a maximum contract.

Baker was blamed for the Sonics' problems, which was sometimes
justified. Lack of support from someone such as an agent who could have
nurtured the relationship between organization and player further
complicated matters. And, according to Baker's father, James, there were
''certain people'' within the organization who were bad influences.

Baker tried to keep pace with Seattle All-Star point guard Gary Payton
off the court, an impossible task for Baker, the son of strict Southern
Baptists. There was talk of depression and rumors of alcoholism, which
Baker vehemently denies. Still, by the end of last season, the situation
in Seattle became so toxic for Baker that the only way out was a one-way
flight home.

Since Baker was traded to the Celtics July 22, questions and concerns
about his unproductive play and offcourt issues have been answered with
the same refrain. Baker will revive his career in Boston ''because he is
back home.''

The friends and relatives who frequently gather at his mansion, the
two-hour drive from Old Saybrook to Boston, and the support of the
congregation at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church are collectively
viewed as a cure-all by those close to Baker, those in the Celtics'
front office, and, most importantly, Baker himself.

''I know a lot has been made about me returning to New England,'' said
Baker. ''Bottom line is that I'm probably going to be one of the top
four power forwards in the Eastern Conference. I know the numbers. I
analyze them because we're going to see certain teams more than we'll
see other teams. It's just a good situation and I'm such an optimist.
The great part about it is my family is going to be here. I'm excited to
be around my mother, my father, and my kids. My family is like the glue
to everything I do as a basketball player and everything I do as a
person.

''I've probably said this about 1,500 times since I've been here, but
I'm excited because I'm good. I have a platform now to show people this
kid is still good. I think in Seattle everything was so swallowed up by
[talk of] depression, and he's overweight ... I'm beating myself up. I'm
better than [what my numbers from the last three seasons showed] and I
know it.''

Everybody knows name

Everyone at Bill's Seafood restaurant in Westbrook, Conn., knows Baker,
which is not surprising since he stops by two or three times a month for
fried clams or lobster and leaves tips three times larger than the bill.
Despite a low ceiling and small doorways that force him to hunch his
6-foot-11-inch frame, Baker appears completely comfortable at the
crowded restaurant. When a party of six needs more room, Baker shares
the set of picnic tables where he's eating for some family-style
seating.

Lunch at Bill's is his ''first public appearance'' since the trade,
which explains why almost the entire staff and a number of patrons shout
congratulations or offer a handshake. Once seated outside on the deck, a
couple of men ask Baker to autograph napkins. He signs ''Vin Baker,
Celtics #42,'' which he hopes will continue to be his jersey number
after some negotiations with the current No. 42, Kedrick Brown. Baker
has been counting the number of autographs he has signed as a Celtic,
and excitedly mentions the napkins are Nos. 4 and 5.

Baker said he never really stopped thinking of himself as the freshman
who got cut at Old Saybrook High. And it often seems Baker is still in
awe of his rise from a barely recruited high school senior to someone
who was touted by local media as ''the nation's best-kept secret'' at
Hartford, to one of the NBA's best in the mid to late-1990s. The memory
of riding back from a workout at the University of Rhode Island and
crying because he was not offered a scholarship remains fresh.

''My security [about my ability] didn't really kick in until I got to
Milwaukee [as the eighth overall pick in 1993] and started playing with
those guys,'' said Baker. ''Even up until draft day, I was like, `I
don't know.' I'm in the draft room. I'm wide-eyed and I'm like, `Wow,
this is nuts. I can't believe I'm here.' It really hadn't sunk in. I
never thought about being an All-Star. At the age of 30, I think there's
so much more for me to do. I'm still looking at my name not being on the
board freshman year at Old Saybrook. I'm still in that mode.''

It is easy to see the sensitive kid who got cut as a freshman and
largely kept statistics at the end of the bench as a sophomore. In his
everyday life, Baker does not carry the arrogant attitude often
associated with professional athletes, which accounts for both his best
qualities and some of his most disconcerting.

He is eager to please, easily influenced by others, and trusts you after
only a handshake. He calls his parents ''my best friends,'' and bought
them a house in Old Saybrook where he lived in the basement during the
offseason until he was 25. He cares what people think about him, so all
the negative press in Seattle was frustrating because, to him, it
equated playing poorly with being a bad person.

Being an only child explains a lot, but not for the reasons you might
expect. James and Ella Jean Baker actually had a son before Vin, but he
died from water on the brain when he was 3 years old. The Bakers were
determined nothing would happen to their second child, so curfews were
strictly enforced and church on Sunday was mandatory. When Baker was 15
minutes late leaving a school dance, his mom marched into the gym in her
pajamas to take him home. On prom night, Baker sat in the back seat as
his father drove his date home because of the late hour and rain-slicked
roads. It remains ''the worst night'' of Baker's life. But his parents
make no apologies for how he was raised or his religious, small-town
values.

''When Vin came along I wanted nothing to happen to him and you become
overprotective,'' said James, who is the assistant pastor at Full
Tabernacle. ''I think sometimes he might be too nice. Vin doesn't meet
strangers and he trusts everybody and I think that's bad because there
are some people you just can't trust. I don't think he ever picked that
up ... But really, I don't think there are many things that prepare you
for that life [in the NBA]. A lot of guys talk about how they were
brought up in the ghetto and I don't think that prepares you. If you
grew up in the ghetto, the hard way, how much did you have? If you grew
up a preacher's kid, you were sheltered.''


A tough turnaround

When McMillan told Baker, ''I'm so proud of you,'' before a game against
the Hornets in January, the power forward/center took the words to
heart. The praise sounded paternal, genuine, and it meant a lot to the
often publicly maligned Baker. That night, Baker scored 24 points and
grabbed seven rebounds as a second-half Sonics comeback fell short. The
next morning at a shootaround in Milwaukee, McMillan singled out Baker
for criticism. Although Baker says ''Nate couldn't stand me,'' he still
did not believe what he heard from his coach.

''In front of the team, Nate said, `Vin, you didn't win in Milwaukee.
You haven't won in Seattle,''' said Baker. ''This is 24 hours after he
said he was proud of me. This was after a game where we lost and I had
24 points and seven rebounds. I'm not saying those numbers are great,
but we should have taken it as a team. But I took a hit, after he said
he was proud of me. That's not normal. Can you imagine me sitting there
like, `What the hell is this all about?'''

The same questions were regularly asked by both sides. The Sonics wanted
to know what happened to the player who began his stay in Seattle as an
All-Star, averaging 19.2 points per game and eight rebounds during the
1997-98 season. After returning from the lockout 20 pounds over his
playing weight of 255, Baker averaged 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds over
his last four seasons in Seattle amid accusations he did not come to
play every night and did not practice hard. Baker bristles at
suggestions he does not work hard. He mentions how he pushed his
rehabilitation from three dislocated toes last year and returned to
action prematurely because the Sonics needed him with a number of other
players also injured. In his first appearance back at KeyArena, he was
booed.

Baker wonders why he became a scapegoat for the Sonics and their fans.
He reasons that ''internal problems'' accounted for a reputation that
declined along with his numbers and faults the organization for not
putting an end to the ''we're better without him'' talk. Frustration
about his ever-changing role, unclear expectations, and disappointing
performances led Baker to seek out a therapist to gain a healthier
perspective on the situation. Although his father does not like to fly,
he made frequent trips to Seattle to offer support. But Baker calls
stories about depression and alcoholism ''all false.''

Friends do not deny Baker sometimes lived the typical life of an NBA
player, but they say alcoholism was never an issue. They have become
tired of answering questions about the matter, finding it difficult to
reconcile the Baker who was portrayed in Seattle with the one they know
from Old Saybrook, who has become a role model for Connecticut youth and
generous benefactor through his Stand Tall Foundation. He recently
financed the construction of a state-of-the-art weight room at Old
Saybrook High and holds two basketball camps every summer - one in his
hometown and one in Hartford. He works out twice a day at home under
Gordon's guidance, then often joins friends and former teammates from
his college days for evening pickup games. That is the Vin Baker friends
and family from home know.

''Alcohol is not a problem,'' said Gordon, who also served as a
consultant for the Sonics. ''[The talk about alcoholism] just stuck.
[People said], `He was drinking. He was drunk. I think he drank before
here.' Not true. Would he go out? Yes. I've been in his house and been
to Christmas parties and he's never had anything to excess. I'm sure
there were times if he'd go on a vacation with his friends, but never
during a season. I can certainly attest to that. I'm not saying he's a
teetotaler. He's a regular young man who's entitled to go out. What
really went wrong? He didn't play up to perceived expectations.''

Workouts guided by Gordon are designed to get Baker in the best shape of
his career for Celtics training camp in October. Baker has everything he
needs at home from his mini-court lined in green (just a coincidence) to
a StairMaster, treadmill, and weights. He also uses the pool for
low-impact cardiovascular training. After lifting and running, Baker
throws up anywhere from 500 to 700 shots. And sometimes when he can't
sleep, Baker heads down to his court at 1 or 2 a.m. and shoots some
more.

This summer, sprinting and basketball drills have focused on improving
Baker's transition defense as well as practicing skills that best fit
the Celtics' system. So far, all the physical work has left him with
just 5 more pounds to shed to reach his playing weight. The power
forward/center is also reviewing tape of all the frontcourts in the
Eastern Conference, breaking down the oppositions' strengths and
weaknesses. He also has scheduled regular visits to the Celtics'
training facility for workouts with the coaching staff.

Baker expects to spend most of his time at center, where his inside game
can complement the play of Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce. Still, he
will have to earn his minutes with coach Jim O'Brien loyal to the
players who helped Boston reach the conference finals. But looking at
how he can fit in next season, Baker expects to average 17 to 18 points
and 7 to 8 rebounds per game. Hopefully, there are enough touches to go
around and keep all three maximum contract players happy. While the
five-player trade was a financial deal for the Sonics, who wanted to
free themselves from the four years and $56.25 million remaining on
Baker's contract, Baker views the trade as a basketball deal with
tremendous potential for the Celtics.

''Whatever the title is going to be, I'm going to play well at that
position,'' said Baker. ''It's going to be neat because Antoine and Paul
are so good at doing so many different things. A lot of times the paint
is going to be open for me to do damage ... I'm going to be able to get
more opportunities than I did in Seattle. Our relationship, as far as
the respect I have for [Antoine and Paul] as players and I think the
respect they have for me as a post-up player, will be fun. Antoine wants
to win. Paul wants to win. I want to win. They're ready to go to the
mountain top, so I don't worry about my touches. It's a team that just
went to the Eastern Conference finals, so I'm just going to fit in where
I fit in.''

A return to form

Standing at the end of a cul de sac, the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
resembles a summer cottage more than a place of worship. Parishioners
relate more like family than anything else and Baker actually counts his
parents, a number of cousins, and an uncle among the congregants.
Everyone in the small, close-knit group addresses each other by first
name. Sister Sylvia, Brother Willie, Sister Evette, Brother Vin. Church
members give testimonials about events over the past week that make them
most thankful, touching on very personal and often private topics.

At his first Sunday service after the trade, Baker chooses a song to
express his gratitude and determination to succeed with the Celtics. His
mother joins him for the chorus, which goes, ''Don't give up.'' Baker
makes a brief speech and tells the congregation that ''dreams do come
true.'' Then, he is overcome by emotion and tears up about being home.
He takes a seat in the front row and bows his head.

Next, his father, James, takes center stage and gives the weekly sermon,
bringing the Baker family's heartfelt message of thanks to a grand
crescendo. Although a soft-spoken man in casual conversation, James is a
commanding presence before the congregation. With a well-worn Bible in
hand, he stomps and shouts his way around the dais to an ever-quickening
beat. He mixes verses from Isaiah with the proclamation that his son
will be an All-Star again. Yes, sir. Uh huh. Why? Because he knows his
son. Members of the congregation nod and clap and shout ''Amen'' in
agreement.

''The best moments in my life were the births of my three sons, Vin
[Jr.], Gavin, and Cameron,'' said Baker. ''The best moments
basketball-wise were winning a gold medal [at the 2000 Olympics] and
getting the trade to the Celtics ... I'm relaxed about it. It's just
heaven-sent and I don't think anything can go wrong being home and
playing for the Celtics. I trust in the big picture because of God. When
people ask me why I will be an All-Star again, it's like embedded in me.
I will be back.''

In many ways, he already is.

This story ran on page D1 of the Boston Globe on 8/2/2002.
) Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jim Hill
Private Label Leasing, Inc.
mailto:jahill@leasingservice.com
800-451-6567 Voice/Fax 866-571-3921