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Did the Golden State Warriors just get a steal by drafting Patrick Baldwin Jr?
The Warriors picked Patrick Baldwin Jr., a 6'9 big with much promise at 19 years old, with the No. 28 overall choice in the 2022 NBA Draft.
In the past, pundits regarded Baldwin as the best high school recruit in the class of 2021. He even placed fifth overall on ESPN's list of the top 100 prospects.
He declined his initial commitment to Duke in favor of playing for his father at Milwaukee. The one season he spent at the mid-major wasn't successful.
Not at all.
Baldwin only participated in 11 games during his one collegiate season. He shot just 34.4 percent from the field and 26.6 percent from three-point range, averaging 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists a game. He also had a free-throw percentage of 74.4 percent. This makes his shooting appear much better than it actually is.
Joining the Golden State Warriors, however, could just be the thing that could turn his career around. Having said that, Baldwin's value to general manager Bob Myers and the Warriors front staff will be determined in due time.
Recall that Baldwin averaged 24.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game as a junior in high school. Then, in the second game of his senior season, he had an ankle injury that required surgery and ended his US NCAA campaign. The problem persisted throughout his brief collegiate career. That painful ankle, dealing with COVID-19, and being in a system that held him back in many ways comprised his sole college season.
Now, the Warriors will try to leverage all of his tools. The Dubs will try to go for back-to-back titles, and if everything works out, Baldwin may play a significant role in it.
Signed on the dotted line ✍️
The Warriors have signed rookie guard/forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. to a contract.
Patrick was the 28th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He’ll wear No. 7 with the Dubs. pic.twitter.com/S5xH4zCbzY
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 7, 2022
Baldwin's age may also be an asset. Keep in mind that Jordan Poole just celebrated his 23rd birthday. In addition, Moses Moody is 20 years old, James Wiseman is 21, and both Jonathan Kuminga and Baldwin are 19. With youth on their side, the Warriors can take their time. With Poole, another Milwaukee product, persistence paid off. Perhaps Baldwin's skill set may prove that it can, too.
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Patrick Baldwin Jr Bold Warriors Predictions
2. Baldwin will get unlocked
Baldwin Jr. transitions from a collegiate environment that may not have been the best match for his talent to one that could be the perfect fit. Remember that lingering injuries and a lackluster supporting cast hampered Baldwin's collegiate success at Milwaukee. Baldwin's future is best served by moving to the Golden State Warriors, one of the league's top organizations for player development and a squad that won't require instant contributions.
Baldwin Jr. does have a lot of offensive potential for the Dubs. He shot far better in high school than in college, but with such a tiny sample size, his upside may be considerably higher than anticipated.
Baldwin Jr. also has the ability to score over defensive players since he is at ease and fluid on offense. He's a good defender off the ball as well. Right now, it will also help that his NBA role will probably be different from what he had at Milwaukee.
1. Baldwin's ankle issues will continue to hound him
Again, Baldwin Jr. only played in 11 college games after aggravating an ankle injury that cut short his senior season of high school. Keep in mind that he didn’t go through a full workout with the Warriors.
Baldwin Jr. maintains, however, that his ankle is feeling good. He doesn’t anticipate it being an issue moving forward. The jury is still out on that.
Even if he does play a ton, lingering ankle issues may affect his mobility on both ends of the floor. Still, we all saw how ankle issues hampered Steph Curry early on and yet the Warriors enabled him to play at an extremely high level.
