Duke’s men’s basketball program has created a position to help navigate the NIL landscape, and Jon Scheyer has hired Rachel Baker – a former Nike executive who’s also worked with the NBA – to fill that position.

Baker, according to a news release from Duke, will help players enhance personal and professional skillsets, capitalize on strategic partnerships (NIL), and work to support players.

"The state of college basketball is growing and changing at an exponential rate," Scheyer said through a news release. "Rachel is a one-of-a-kind talent with unique experience that will provide our players and their families with an unparalleled resource and partner as we navigate new frontiers of college basketball together.”

Baker spent eight years with Nike and one year working in the NBA’s office. With Nike, she led grassroots partnerships and event strategy for Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL). She also had a hand in strategic initiatives between Nike and Kevin Durant.

“I could not be more excited to join Jon Scheyer and the entire Duke Basketball family," Baker said through a news release. "We're in the middle of such a transformative moment – not only for Duke, but for the college basketball landscape – and the chance to be part of it is the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Duke Basketball has remained rooted in honoring our storied history while writing the future of the game. I am humbled and honored to join this tradition and can't wait to get started.”

In her one year at the NBA, Baker was the marketing and branding lead of a season-long task force dedicated to rebranding the WNBA. She also helped introduce digital solutions to refresh the NBA All-Star Game and NBA Draft Combine.

Baker was a lacrosse player at La Salle University, where she earned a degree in communications. She also has an executive education certificate in business of entertainment, media and sport from Harvard.