Just like that, the 2022 NBA draft has come and gone. On a night filled with quite a few trades, the Golden State Warriors stuck with the 28th pick and selected Patrick Baldwin Jr. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
I can understand some initial concerns from Dubs fans when hearing of a player from such a small school in the Midwest.
The Golden State Warriors drafted forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. with the 28th-overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Make no mistake, this kid had every offer coming out of High School. Baldwin Jr was ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s 2021 top 100 players in the country, holding offers from Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina to name a few.
Why pick UW Milwaukee?
A simple answer, Baldwin Jr.’s dad is the coach for the Panthers. Unfortunately for Patrick, this decision along with lingering issues caused his draft stock to fall. An underwhelming last season for Baldwin Jr. saw him only appear in 11 games total.
In those 11, shooting just 34% from the field and 26% from behind the arc while averaging 12 points per game.
You may be asking yourself, why would the Warriors draft such a raw talent? This is the perfect time to do so.
What I personally like about Baldwin Jr. is the things you can’t teach. Can’t teach being 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. Pair this with a very smooth jumper, and I see glimpses of Michael Porter Jr.
A fantastic pick from Bob Meyers, this won’t help the Dubs immediately, however, it could be a pick that people look back at and marvel at in a few years. Much like they did this season with Jordan Poole, who was ironically also the 28th pick.
Golden State takes Patrick Baldwin Jr. Hooooooooo boy.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) June 24, 2022
Baldwin, a former No. 1 player in his HS class, could wind up being a top-10 player in this year’s draft class.
The Warriors are unfair. Given that front office’s track record, that pick should terrify the rest of the NBA.
To go along with the Baldwin Jr. pick, a quick shoutout to the other two draftees for the Warriors tonight.
A trade with the Atlanta Hawks had Golden State with pick No. 44 where they selected Ryan Rollins a 6-foot-4 guard out of Toledo. This pick is another exciting one in the sense that you can never have too many elite-level scoring guards.
Rollins is exactly that, and his film backs it up. An effortless scorer that gets to his spot on the floor and finishes with his silky smooth jumper. Maybe a future backcourt running mate for Jordan Poole?
Rollins and Baldwin Jr are both only 19 years old. Bob Meyers continues to draft for the future. Can’t forget the third and final pick for the Warriors. With the 55th pick, selecting Gui Santos, a 6-foot-8 forward from Brazil.
"I love this pick," Jay Bilas says of the Warriors adding Toledo guard Ryan Rollins after trading up to the 44th pick
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) June 24, 2022
Summer league for the Golden State Warriors will be quite exciting. Not too often does a team win a championship, and a few weeks later have an amazing summer league team with tons of young talent.
Look out for these new acquisitions, along with Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman at the California Classic and Las Vegas summer league in the upcoming weeks.
For more Warriors-related content follow me on Twitter! Or, check out all our amazing writers at Blue Man Hoop.