BYU welcomes Dawson Baker

PROVO, Utah – BYU head men’s basketball coach Mark Pope announced the signing of Dawson Baker on Monday.

Baker, a 6-foot-4 guard, transfers to BYU after scoring over 1,000 points during his three-year career at UC Irvine. He appeared in 79 games including 71 starts, averaging 12.9 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, 36.8 from 3-point range and 79.1 percent from the free throw line. 

In 2022-23, he earned All-Big West Second Team accolades after averaging 15.3 points and 3.2 assists per game for an Anteaters team that went 23-12, winning the Big West Regular Season title and earned a postseason berth in the NIT. He scored in double figures in 32 of 35 starts including a career-high 33-point performance at UC San Diego. He also recorded his first and only collegiate double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) in win over Hawaii on January 19, 2023.

The native of Coto De Caza, California earned All-Big West Honorable Mention accolades as a sophomore in 2021-22 after playing and starting in 19 games. He finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.2 points per game, while leading the team in 3-point field goal percentage, 39.6 percent.

He was named the Big West Freshman of the Year in 2020-21 after returning home from his two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Micronesia, Guam. In 25 games, he averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor, 39.6 percent from three and 78.6 percent from the charity stripe. He dished out a career-high six assists in his collegiate debut against Pepperdine.

He finished his high school career as the all-time leader in points and steals at Capistrano Valley High School. He was a two-time all-state selection and was named the CIF 2AA Player of the Year as a senior.