Trojan head basketball coach Darrell Walker has added Charles Baker to the Little Rock basketball staff as an assistant coach. 

“I’ve known Charles for a long time and have seen what he’s been able to accomplish in his career,” Walker said. “He is a very good basketball coach with experience at a number of different levels and universities. He has a lot of experience recruiting and coaching at the Division I level, which was important to me, and is well respected. I know we’ve got a good one to help us here at Little Rock.”

Baker brings an extensive resume to Little Rock, coaching basketball at numerous levels. For the past three seasons, he has served as the head coach at Southwest Christian Academy in Little Rock, guiding the Lions to the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) championship in 2017 and a runner-up finish in 2018. Baker has also been the head coach of the EYBL Arkansas Wings during that span.

Baker has coached at six Division I institutions during his career, including serving as the associate head coach at Campbell from 2009-13. During his time with the Camels, Baker helped guide Campbell to the 2009-10 Atlantic Sun championship while being named one of the top 11 Mid-Major Assistants in the country by Basketball Times in 2013.

Prior to his time in Buies Creek, North Carolina, Baker spent two seasons as an assistant at Colorado (2007-09), following a one-year stint as an assistant at Louisiana Tech (2006-07). Baker spent six seasons as an assistant at Kansas State from 2000-06, preceeded by his first stint as an assistant at Louisiana Tech from 1998-2000.

Baker spent five seasons as the head coach of Shorter Junior College in North Little Rock, leading the Bulldogs to four-straight Arkansas State Junior College championships from 1995-98 after inheriting a team that was 1-29 in 1992-93. Shorter consistently ranked among the top-20 in the NJCAA ranks as he coached over 20 players that went on to play at the Division I level.

Before his return to North Little Rock, Baker spent one year as an assistant at both Coppin State (1991-92) and Middle Tennessee (1990-91) after spending five seasons working with the Arkansas Wings Basketball program from 1985-90, the last of which serving as head coach. His time working with AAU programs has resulted in 12 Final Four national appearances and three national champions.

A native of North Little Rock, Baker graduated from Ole Main High School in 1984, before earning a general undergraduate degree from Westark Junior College (now UA-Fort Smith) in 1986. He then went on to play at Eastern Kentucky and was a two-year letterwinner for the Colonels, earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1990.

With the addition of Baker, Walker rounds out his staff as the focus for the Trojans now shifts to the important summer workout and development for his team. Little Rock is now just over five months away from the start of the 2018-19 season as the schedule will be released in the coming weeks.