WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State men's basketball seniors Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet grabbed their first major accolades of the fall on Monday, landing on Sporting News' preseason All-America team.

Baker was one of five tabbed to the first team, while VanVleet landed on the second team.

Sporting News' postseason All-America team is one of four officially used by the NCAA to determine its consensus its All-Americans (along with teams from the Associated Press, U.S. Basketball Writer's Association, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches).

Baker – a guard from Scott City, Kan. – gained national attention as a freshman when he helped the Shockers to the 2013 Final Four. A two-time first team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, he was an honorable mention AP All-American as a junior, averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals while knocking down 80 three-pointers. Over the summer, he started all five games for the United States in its push for the Pan American games bronze medal.

VanVleet (13.6 points, 5.2 assists in 2014-15) was also a key reserve on the 2013 Final Four team before seamlessly transitioning into the starting point guard role. He's ranked in the top-10 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio in each of the past two seasons and is already WSU's career assists leader.

The Rockford, Ill. native was the MVC Player of the Year and a third team NABC and Sporting News All-American in 2013-14 after leading WSU to a 35-0 start. In 2014-15, he earned honorable mention AP All-American status for the second-straight year and led the Shockers to their second-straight MVC title. In three NCAA Tournament games, he averaged 23.0 points, as WSU advanced to the Sweet 16.

Oklahoma senior Buddy Hield, who played high school ball for WSU assistant coach Kyle Lindsted at Sunrise Christian Academy, was a third team selection.
 

---

Complete Sporting News Preseason All-America Teams:

First Team
Ron Baker – Wichita State – Sr.
Malcom Brogdon – Virginia – Sr.
Nigel Hayes – Wisconsin – Jr.
Georges Niang – Iowa State – Sr.
Marcus Paige – North Carolina – Sr.

Second Team
Fred VanVleet – Wichita State – Sr.
Kris Dunn – Providence – Jr.
Yogi Ferrell – Indiana – Sr.
Skal Labissiere – Kentucky – Fr.
Wayne Selden – Kansas – Jr.

Third Team
Buddy Hield – Oklahoma – Sr.
Jamal Murray – Kentucky – Fr.
Ben Simmons – LSU – Fr.
Melo Trimble – Maryland – So.
Kyle Wiltjer – Gonzaga – Sr