Coach Jim Baker: 500 Wins and Still Building
Coach Jim Baker has been around the game of basketball his entire life. He graduated from North Rowan High School in 1974 and from Catawba College in 1978. In between, Coach Baker played on the UNC Charlotte men’s basketball junior varsity team before transferring to Catawba, where he played on back-to-back 20-win teams and helped win Carolina Conference Regular Season championships.
After graduating, Baker began his coaching career as an assistant at Catawba, Wingate, and Belmont Abbey. He then spent 12 years on collegiate staffs at Davidson, Virginia Tech, and VMI before returning to Catawba College to assist Coach Sam Moir for one season.
In 1994, Coach Baker earned his opportunity to lead, becoming the head coach at Catawba College — a position he held for 20 years. During that span, he compiled a 344–236 record (59% winning percentage). His teams captured six SAC Regular Season Championships, six SAC Tournament Championships, went 24–11 in SAC Tournament play, and advanced to nine NCAA Regional tournaments.
Following his collegiate success, Coach Baker moved to the high school ranks and took over Central Cabarrus, producing one of the most successful runs in school history. From 2021 to 2024, Central Cabarrus posted a remarkable 95–1 record, won back-to-back NCHSAA 3A state championships in 2023 and 2024, and produced a 65-game winning streak. The Vikings were ranked in the national Top 20 by multiple polls during that stretch.
During his tenure at Central Cabarrus, Coach Baker earned 12 Coach of the Year honors, including back-to-back North Carolina Basketball Coach of the Year awards. He was inducted into the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, the Salisbury-Rowan Hall of Fame in 2024, and the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame in 2025.
After that dominant run, Coach Baker accepted a new challenge by taking over at Cannon School in Concord — a traditional NCISAA power that had lost most of its roster following a coaching change. Understanding the difficulty of the rebuild, Baker embraced the challenge. With modest expectations, Cannon finished 15–12 in his first season, earned a second-place conference finish, and secured a state playoff win.
This past Saturday, Cannon defeated Northwest Guilford 75–65, marking the 500th win of Coach Baker’s career — 344 at the collegiate level and 156 at the high school level.
Coach Baker’s teams are defined by a fast-tempo style of play that emphasizes quick decision-making, ball movement, and constant defensive pressure. His teams routinely press, force turnovers, and play with an unselfish, connected approach on both ends of the floor.
Beyond the wins, Coach Baker is widely respected as a steward of the game. He consistently demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and leadership both on and off the court. He leads by example and has established himself as one of the top basketball coaches in the state — regardless of level or affiliation.