Michigan basketball lands commitment from Duke transfer Joey Baker

Michigan has dipped into the transfer portal once again and added some last-minute help.

Duke transfer Joey Baker, who spent the past four years with the Blue Devils, will play his fifth and final season with the Wolverines, the men's basketball program announced on Saturday.

Baker entered the transfer portal in May, one month after he announced his plans to take advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility granted due to COVID-19. He took visits to George Washington, Georgia and Michigan before making his decision to join the Wolverines.

Baker, a former top-40 recruit, played limited minutes during his time at Duke. He appeared in four games as a freshman before carving out a reserve role in the rotation the past three seasons, playing in 85 contests with four starts over that span.

Last season, Baker averaged 4.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game as a co-captain for a team that reached the Final Four in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season.

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The 6-foot-6 wing is known for his perimeter shooting, an area where the Wolverines could certainly use a boost. He shot 40.5% from deep last season (30-for-74) and is a 37.9% career 3-point shooter. The Wolverines lost their top three outside shooters from last year — Caleb Houstan, Eli Brooks and DeVante’ Jones — and Baker could help fill that void while spreading the floor for junior center Hunter Dickinson.

Baker also provides experience and depth at a position where Michigan will have its share of youth and unproven pieces, and he’ll have a chance to compete for a starting spot.

Baker is the second graduate transfer that the Wolverines have brought in this offseason, along with Princeton guard Jaelin Llewellyn. With Baker in the fold, Michigan still has one available scholarship for next season after starting forwards Moussa Diabate and Houstan opted to stay in the NBA Draft.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @jamesbhawkins