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5 things Wizards fans should know about Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Steven Shoemaker
·5 min read
5

5 things Wizards fans should know about Patrick Baldwin Jr. originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Following the 2022 NBA Draft, Patrick Baldwin Jr. found himself in a situation that many college players could only dream of.

After Baldwin Jr. shook commissioner Adam Silver’s hand after being selected with the 28th overall pick, he began his NBA career with the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

The tricky part about the NBA is that it's a business and nothing is guaranteed. After a brief stay with the Warriors, Baldwin Jr. was informed he would be traded to his next destination in Washington, along with Jordan Poole and Ryan Rollins.

In coming to Washington, Baldwin Jr brings the ability to score at all three levels and has room for upside as he develops his game.

2023 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Profile: Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Born: November 18, 2002

Hometown: Evanston, IL

College: Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers

Drafted: Selected 28th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors

Former Team(s): Golden State Warriors (2022-23)

Position: Forward

Age: 20

Height: 6’9"

Weight: 220

Wingspan: 7-2

2022/23 stats: 31 G, 3.9 ppg, 0.4 apg, 1.3 rpg, 0.2 spg, 0.1 bpg, 39.5 FG% (1.4/3.5), 38.1 3PT% (1.0/2.7), 66.7 FT% (0.1/0.2)

Here are five things to know about the Wizards' new forward:

Ability to score from all three cylinders

Baldwin Jr.’s game sheds a slight resemblance at times to players such as Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram and even Kevin Durant. Yes, that is very generous company to be compared to, but analyzing Baldwin Jr.’s game explains why.

With his size, Baldwin Jr. can play the four and take advantage of the pick-and-roll game. He can come off the screen and knock down the long ball, take a few dribbles and knock down the elbow jumper, as well as making his way into the post to back down his defender before hitting the baseline jumper.

Baldwin Jr. is not necessarily known for his ball-handling skills but so far in his NBA career, and most recently in summer league, he has shown his ability to push the ball up the floor and either find his teammates or take it himself.

Although his three-point numbers don’t jump out at you from his rookie year (38.1%), it is just a small sample size of only 31 games. Baldwin Jr. is not one to shy away from letting the long ball fly, whether he’s letting it go in transition or spotting up in the corner.

At 6’9", Baldwin Jr.'s size and ability to shoot the three-pointer will be helpful as the Wizards look to improve their shooting numbers.

Top high school recruit

A former McDonald’s All-American, Baldwin Jr. was the number five recruit in ESPN’s Top 100 list in 2021. Out of Hamilton High School in Wisconsin, Baldwin Jr. made a name for himself during his junior year. He averaged 24.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, earning Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year honors.

Unfortunately, during his senior season he suffered a season-ending ankle injury, but still earned a spot on rosters for the McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit games.

As a top-five recruit in the entire country, Baldwin Jr. was on the same list as the top picks of the 2022 NBA Draft Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. He received offers from some of the top basketball programs in Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and many more.

Ultimately Baldwin Jr. chose to play collegiate ball under his father, Pat Baldwin Sr., at Milwaukee.

College ball

Baldwin Jr. joined Doug McDermott, Buddy Boeheim and others in playing under their fathers in college. The forward got to start in 10 of 11 games, averaging 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 rebounds during his freshman season. His time at Milwaukee was cut short due to injuries and his decision to declare for the NBA Draft after one year in college.

Injuries are what prevented Baldwin Jr. from showing his full potential on the court at Milwaukee. Heading into college, he was projected to be a lottery pick when deciding to enter the NBA Draft before eventually falling to the end of the first round.

High praise from former team

You could say Golden State took a risk by drafting Baldwin Jr., coming off their fourth NBA Championship. The Warriors’ front office however knew they were getting a steal in a player with tremendous upside and a knowledge of the game.

Starting off his career in Golden State allowed Baldwin Jr. to learn from some all-time great players.

An addition the Wizards needed

Baldwin Jr. still has a lot to prove in his young career.

Wizards’ general manager Will Dawkins saw first-hand just how hungry Baldwin Jr. was to show what he can do on the court the second he arrived in D.C.

“With them [Baldwin Jr. & Rollins] the best part is that they wanted to play right away,” Dawkins said. “They went to a team that was more established, it was harder to get playing time and those were guys that we watched during the draft.”

During summer league Baldwin Jr. averaged 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and was third on the team in minutes with 26.7.

The Wizards provide Baldwin Jr. an opportunity to play for a team where he can showcase his skills both in practice and during games. He should see an uptick in his minutes but is going to have to prove he can both be a difference-maker and stay healthy.