FROM THE DAC
Amaris Baker Comes Full Circle on the Basketball Court
From a childhood clinic guest to star player, Amaris Baker is now leading Drexel women’s basketball and mentoring the next generation.
By Mike Unger
The little girl in the photo on Drexel women’s basketball coach Amy Mallon’s phone had come to a clinic the team was hosting to hone her game. She had started dribbling a ball around her house when she was in diapers, and now, at age 8 or 9, she was there to learn from the Dragons.
More than a decade later, Amaris Baker, BS ’25, has become one of the best players in program history.
Photo by Amy Mallon.
“I love to tell the story of Amaris meeting our team in 2012 at a basketball clinic in Philadelphia. Full circle was the day she signed with the program…Amaris can do anything she puts her mind to.”
In 2024, Baker’s determination and talent led Drexel to the third CAA title in program history. She was named the conference tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
“It was very magical because we started off slow. It took a minute for us to click, but we clicked at the right time. Our chemistry on the court was unstoppable.”
The run to the NCAA Tournament was a dream come true for a woman who is Philly to her core. Baker, 23, grew up in a basketball-loving family in the city. (Her father, Gabriel, played at Penn State). She suited up for Cardinal O’Hara High School and for the Comets AAU organization, a pedigree Mallon calls “the perfect storm for our program.” But her journey to stardom was not linear. She started her collegiate career at Kennesaw State outside of Atlanta, before transferring to a junior college. Along the way, she never lost confidence.
“I take basketball very seriously. I’ve always been told that how I am on the court is way different than how I am off the court. I’m a very nice person, but on the court it’s all business.”
Once she came to Drexel, she quickly became a team leader. When asked to describe Baker’s game, Mallon cites a quote from the Indiana Pacers’ T.J. McConnell.
“He said, ‘Playing hard is a skill,’” Mallon says. “I believe this is a skill that Amaris has and continues to use to be successful on the court. She is conditioned at an elite level that allows her to train and continue to develop each day. Amaris makes things happen on both ends of the court with this mindset. I do believe her ability to get to the basket and score with contact continues to be the area that she shines.”
After her banner 2023–24 junior season in which she averaged 19.8 points per game and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, last year she started in all 30 games, averaged 17 points and was named to the All-CAA First Team. Still, Drexel failed to defend its title, so heading into her final season her aim is to help the team return to its past glory.
In part.
“My personal goal is just to enjoy the moment,” she says. “That’s something I’ve learned in college. You always think about the future, but you need to enjoy the present. I’m just going day by day, working hard, building that team chemistry and having fun while playing. And hopefully we win a championship as well.”
Baker’s focus extends to her life off the court. In both her junior and senior years, she was named to the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. She earned her bachelor’s degree in criminology and justice studies and is now a graduate student in legal studies. She hopes to continue her career professionally, whether in the WNBA or overseas, before getting into coaching.
She’s already shown an aptitude for teaching the game. During her offseasons she has accompanied the team to the Murphy Recreation Center in South Philly, where it puts on clinics like the one she attended as a kid.
“Growing up, when you have a role model, you have someone to aspire to be like. We spend time with the kids on different basketball aspects, like ball handling, shooting, defense. We try to give them as much information as possible and make sure that they’re having fun as well. I was once one of those kids, so I’m trying to pay it back.”
Read more stories from this issue of Drexel Magazine.
Built with Shorthand
