Jemarl Baker, Jr. to Join Lobo Basketball
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball program announced Thursday the addition of Jemarl Baker, Jr., a transfer guard from Fresno State. The 6-5, 195-pound native of Menifee, Calif. will have one year of eligibility with the Lobos after playing previously at Kentucky, Arizona and Fresno State.
Last season at Fresno State, Baker was second on the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game while leading the Bulldogs with 55 3-pointers. His 43-point game in March against Chicago State was the highest scoring game in the Mountain West last season, as he became the first Division I player on record to have at least 40 points, at least 10 3-pointers and shoot over 90 percent (10-of-11) from deep in a game.
“We are excited about the addition of Jemarl,” said head coach Richard Pitino. “He is a proven competitor in this league and has produced at a high level everywhere he has gone. We feel like his veteran leadership will really help in our locker room and on the court.”
Baker played just five games in 2021-22, his first season at Fresno State, due to injury. He averaged 8.6 points in those contests, highlighted by an 18-point performance against UC Irvine.
A consensus top 100 recruit out of Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Baker began his collegiate career at Kentucky. After redshirting in 2017-18, he appeared in 28 games off the bench for the Wildcats in 2018-19, averaging 2.3 points per game as UK reached the NCAA Elite Eight. He scored a season-high eight points in the NCAA second-round win over Wofford to advance to the second weekend.
Baker transferred to Arizona and played two seasons for the Wildcats. In 2019-20, he appeared in all 32 games off the bench, averaging 5.7 points per game and ranking ninth nationally with a 3.2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (among players with at least 70 assists). In 2020-21, he started all 12 games in which he played, averaging 12.0 points per game, highlighted by a 33-point performance against Northern Arizona and a 29-point game (8-of-13 3FG) against Stanford.
“I am excited for this opportunity,” said Baker. “I think coming to New Mexico is a great fit as I bring my skill set to an already talented team. I know this team is capable of winning championships and I want to come here and contribute to that. I got to experience The Pit last season and it is an incredible environment and I can’t wait to have those Lobo fans cheering me on this season.”