"The big thing is that Vin is a man of responsibility. He's a man of quiet character."--former Seattle Supersonics coach George Karl.

Vin Baker--all-star power forward of the Seattle Supersonics--is one of the most soft-spoken players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On the court, however, he lets his game do the talking. Four times in five seasons Baker has earned all-star recognition and during the 1997-98 season he was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Both on and off the court, he has earned the respect of fellow players and coaches and has established himself as a truly great basketball player.

Growing Up

Only Child

Vin Baker was born November 23, 1971. He grew up in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, as the only child of his father, James, an auto mechanic and Baptist minister at the Full Tabernacle Church, and his mother, Jean, who worked in a factory. Baker...