Sitting out of Las Vegas Summer League action didn’t stop Patrick Baldwin Jr. from turning heads with the Golden State Warriors over the offseason. Even more encouraging? As official preparations for his rookie season begin, Baldwin finally has a clean bill of health.
Speaking at Warriors Media Day, Baldwin, a consensus top-five prospect in the High School Class of 2021, confirmed that he’s fully recovered from nagging left ankle issues that marred his freshman season at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“Physically, I’ve been good for a while,” he said. “So pretty much since Summer League, I’ve been able to scrimmage and do pretty much everything on the court with no restrictions. Feeling good right now, feeling healthy.”
Baldwin originally sprained his left ankle during his senior season at Hamilton High School in Sussex, WI. Effects of the injury persisted while playing under his father at Milwaukee, causing Baldwin’s stock to plummet leading up to the draft after he began the season considered a surefire lottery pick.
Golden State selected him at No. 28 overall, confident Baldwin’s decorated prep career and extremely rare blend of length and shooting ability made him worth a late first-round pick despite ugly numbers across the board for the Panthers—health provided, of course.
The Warriors’ patience in that regard certainly seems to have paid off.
Baldwin has been lauded by teammates and coaches alike for his all-around feel for the game, and already understands the importance of defense in Golden State, an area where his near 7’2 wingspan and massive standing reach should help compensate for merely average explosiveness.
Don’t count on Baldwin to play meaningful minutes for the defending champions in 2022-23 almost no matter how well he grasps the Warriors’ defensive scheme. He’s just 19, and widespread struggles against Horizon League competition—even acknowledging the impact of his ankle injury—show he still has ample room to grow before being an impactful NBA contributor.
Now that he’s healthy, though, there’s no better time to book your ticket on the Baldwin hype train. If the Warriors’ early optimism proves prophetic, they might not be available a year from now.
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