After four seasons with Baker men’s basketball, senior point guard Ethan Viets is closing the book on a lifetime spent playing the game.

Viets, of Coffeyville, Kan., said his connection to the sport runs in the family. Viets said his parents helped introduce him to athletics at a young age, and his mother also played basketball at Baker, making his decision to join the program even more meaningful.

“Growing up, I was always outside playing,” Viets said. “My mom played basketball [at Baker] too, so it was kind of following in her footsteps.”

During his time with the Wildcats, Viets experienced several memorable moments on the court, including last season’s run to the NAIA Sweet 16. Still, he said the most meaningful parts of his college career happened off the court. 

“Just spending time with my teammates meant the most,” Viets said. “Road trips, eating out together, hanging out, just building relationships with those guys.”

Those relationships played a major role in shaping Viets both as a player and as a person over the past four years. Like many college athletes, Viets said much of the work that goes into competing at the collegiate level happens behind the scenes.

“When your alarm clock goes off at five in the morning for 6 a.m. conditioning, you have to ask yourself if you really love it,” Viets said. “You’ve got to love it enough to get up and go work hard.”

Despite the early mornings and long practices, Viets said the team environment made the experience worthwhile.

“It gave me a group of guys I can call my brothers,” Viets said. “Those are relationships that will probably last the rest of my life.”

This season presented a unique challenge for the Wildcats after much of the previous roster graduated. With several new players joining the program, Viets said the team had to quickly build camaraderie while also navigating the season.

“It was definitely a transition,” Viets said. “There were a lot of new faces at the beginning, so you had to learn who everyone was as people and as players,” he said. “When you’re a freshman, you see a lot of people come and go,” Viets said. “So sticking it out for four years and finishing it means a lot.” 

For younger players in the program, Viets encourages them to focus on the relationships and experiences that come with college athletics. After graduation in May, Ethan plans to enter the workforce with a degree in accounting and begin his professional career. As his basketball career comes to an end, Viets said the journey is something his younger self would appreciate.

“Don’t forget the little boy in you,” Viets said. “He’d be proud.”