By John Fanta
FOX Sports College Basketball Writer
Patrick Baldwin Jr. entered the NBA Draft as one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects in the class, projected to be selected somewhere in the 20s by a team that likely could take on a project.
These types of prospects, more times than not, really need the right organizational fit to pan out in The Association. Baldwin could not ask for a better landing spot, because he’s heading to the world champions.
The Golden State Warriors went with upside in selecting the 19-year-old Baldwin with the 28th pick in the draft, and why not? Player development is a big reason why the organization has won four of the past eight NBA titles.
Look no further than Jordan Poole, the 28th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He became a vital weapon for the Warriors on their run to this year’s title after developing with the Santa Cruz Warriors, the organization’s G League affiliate, early on in his career.
There is a heavy level of doubt surrounding Baldwin, and an even larger level of mystery with him as he turns pro. Out of Hamilton High School in Wisconsin, the versatile, 6-foot-9 forward carried a ton of buzz following his junior year, in which he averaged 24.3 points and 10.8 boards, and earned Gatorade State Player of the Year. His senior season, though, was ruined by injury. After a 43-point performance in the opener, Baldwin suffered a dislocated left ankle in his second game and missed the rest of the year.
Even with the injury, Baldwin was recruited by the heavy hitters across college basketball. He passed on playing for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke in favor of playing for his father, Patrick Baldwin Sr., at Milwaukee. But Baldwin Jr. appeared in only 11 games, averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, before re-aggravating his ankle injury and being shut down in February.
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In four months, Baldwin went from a potential lottery pick heading into the college basketball season to being a fringe first-round prospect.
So why select Baldwin?
If he pans out, he could be a matchup nightmare in the NBA. He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a 9-foot-2 standing reach. That length combined with a pure shooting form and the ability to comfortably put the ball on the floor gives him such a unique skill set that can fit in the modern-day NBA. And while he was inefficient in college and…
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