Nicholas Baer Awarded Scholarship

RobHowe

Administrator
UI Press Release:

Nicholas Baer Earns Scholarship
Hawkeye forward has 3 years of eligibility remaining

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery announced Tuesday that sophomore-to-be Nicholas Baer has been rewarded with a scholarship. Baer, who redshirted his first year, has spent the past two seasons as a preferred walk-on with the Hawkeyes.

“I am so thankful that coach McCaffery gave me the opportunity to walk-on; he gave me a jersey, gave me a chance to prove myself,†Baer said. “It has always been a goal of mine to achieve a scholarship and I’m thankful that I have achieved that goal, but more so I’m thankful for all of my teammates who have pushed me to make me a better player and the support I’ve received from Hawkeye fans.â€

Baer (6-foot-7, 200 pounds) competed in all 33 games this past season, averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He also ranked second on the team in blocked shots with 19.

“When we invited Nicholas to walk-on two years ago, I had a strong suspicion that this day would come,†said McCaffery. “I didn’t give him a scholarship, he earned one and that’s the greatest compliment that you can give to him. He just wanted a chance and felt like he would take it from there and he did.

“He really worked hard his redshirt year to figure out what he needed to do to be successful at this level. Nicholas was a terrific player for us in a lot of different ways this past season. He impacts the game with his energy, basketball instincts, shooting, rebounding, defense, and he doesn’t make mistakes. He’s everything you want on the floor, especially with the way we play. I’m excited about having him in our program for the next three years.â€

Baer scored in double figures in five games, including netting 15 points in Iowa’s NCAA Tournament contest against national champion Villanova. The native of Bettendorf, Iowa, also excels in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors last month.
 
Biggest no brainer of the off season. Not sure he'll get to be a starter or not down the road but he will be the first man off the bench for sure. Any program out there would like to have a player like him.
 
betting that means Fran was unable to find a difference maker to come here as a transfer, really to bad...Iowa needs a couple!
 
betting that means Fran was unable to find a difference maker to come here as a transfer, really to bad...Iowa needs a couple!

It's going to be extremely difficult for you to troll this thread. We all think to highly of Baer. But go ahead and give it your best shot.
 
betting that means Fran was unable to find a difference maker to come here as a transfer, really to bad...Iowa needs a couple!


Like there are two difference-makers out there who were just ready to fall in Iowa's lap. We will be very fortunate to land even one.
 
Biggest no brainer of the off season. Not sure he'll get to be a starter or not down the road but he will be the first man off the bench for sure. Any program out there would like to have a player like him.

TRUTH! Toughest, hardest working guy on the team. Had the 5 starters had his work-ethic, his intent and, above all, his b-ball IQ, January might have been extended.

Look forward to his skills developing to match his effort and play-to-win attitude over the next 3 years.
 
Baer probably had about the same per minute production as White did as a freshman. White had a bigger role because the team around him wasn't as good. But Baer has an extra year in the program. They seem to be really similar players.

If Baer and White could switch when they played, and switch who started as the walk on, I wonder if opinions of the 2 would change. I thought White was going to be a stud his first game when he put up around 20. Baer had a couple big games early with less a role and I thought he might be a pretty good role player. When I try to remove stereo type of a white walk on from iowa, it's hard to find much difference in their ability and ceiling. Comparing both as freshmen of course.
 
Baer probably had about the same per minute production as White did as a freshman. White had a bigger role because the team around him wasn't as good. But Baer has an extra year in the program. They seem to be really similar players.

If Baer and White could switch when they played, and switch who started as the walk on, I wonder if opinions of the 2 would change. I thought White was going to be a stud his first game when he put up around 20. Baer had a couple big games early with less a role and I thought he might be a pretty good role player. When I try to remove stereo type of a white walk on from iowa, it's hard to find much difference in their ability and ceiling. Comparing both as freshmen of course.

I think this is a fair analysis. Obviously Baer as a true freshman wouldn't have been as good as White. But as a RS freshman he's right there with White.
 
Like there are two difference-makers out there who were just ready to fall in Iowa's lap. We will be very fortunate to land even one.
This^^^^^^

So many posters seem to think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers just waiting for Fran to choose from. There isn't.
 
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This^^^^^^

Somany posters seem to think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers just waiting for Fran to choose from. There isn't.

Yep. Fran recognizes high school talent early; forms a relationship; and then tries to keep them when/if the big boys come calling at the last minute. Make the Sweet 16 a couple times and we will look more appealing to a graduate transfer.
 
This^^^^^^

So many posters seem to think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers just waiting for Fran to choose from. There isn't.

You are incorrect. Only trolls & people who have absolutely no basketball knowledge think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers. As if, Fran wasn't trying to get one before the transfers.
 
This^^^^^^

So many posters seem to think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers just waiting for Fran to choose from. There isn't.

After this year's hot garbage, burnt turd of a year there are going to be a few difference-makers saying to themselves "I'm glad I didn't go there."
 
You are incorrect. Only trolls & people who have absolutely no basketball knowledge think there is a huge pool of uncommitted difference makers. As if, Fran wasn't trying to get one before the transfers.
So you are saying a huge percentage of posters here are trolls or uninformed? Yes, I could see that.
 
After this year's hot garbage, burnt turd of a year there are going to be a few difference-makers saying to themselves "I'm glad I didn't go there."

Your statement is the equivalent of Einstein's theory of relativity. It is brilliant & mind-boggling. Since Lute left thirty-three years ago, Iowa has won at least two-thirds of its conference games in a season only six times. Two of those six seasons have happened the last two years. If this year was hot garbage, what were the other twenty-seven seasons. Please explain!

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