2. Nate McMillan
If Ron Baker’s goal is to become the best possible defender he can be, then there aren’t many better players to study than Nate McMillan. McMillan was a two-time All-Defensive Second Team honoree, but that fails to encompass how strong his contributions truly were.
McMillan had an inch on Baker, but if defensive tenacity and team-first basketball are the objective, then Baker should dig up some of Mr. Sonic’s film.
McMillan and Gary Payton formed one of the most dominant combinations of defensive-minded guards in NBA history. Playing Seattle was no easy task for point guards in the 1980s or 1990s, and McMillan was a major reason why.
When McMillan was on the court, opponents were guaranteed to face the wrath of a combo guard who could lock down any caliber of scorer.
Offensively, McMillan was never much of a scorer, but he proved to be an excellent playmaker. He averaged 6.1 assists per game and 8.6 assists per 36 minutes during his 12-year career, which are numbers Baker could realistically reach.
The New York Knicks want to defend at an elite level as a team, and Baker following in the footsteps of a player like McMillan would help accomplish that goal.