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The 2022 NBA Draft order has been set and the list of eligible players is officially locked in. We’re going to take a look at the top prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and provide a player comparison for how we see them developing at the next level. Here’s a look at Milwaukee F Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Update — Baldwin was selected by the Warriors with the No. 28 pick in the draft.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. Draft Profile
Baldwin only spent one season at Milwaukee before declaring for the draft. His season was riddle with injury, though, limiting him to only playing 11 games. Patrick played his lone college season with his father, Pat Baldwin Sr., as head coach before he was fired after finishing the year with a 10-22 record. Through 11 games, Baldwin Jr. averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. His free-throw shooting was an impressive 74.3% on the year, while he shot just 34.4% overall from the floor and 26.6% from three.
Strengths
Standing at 6’10 and 220 lbs., Baldwin Jr. provides plenty of offensive potential in the league with his scoring ability. He shot much better in high school than he did in college, but with such a small sample size in his college career, his upside could be a lot higher than anticipated. He’s comfortable and smooth when he’s pulling up for a shot, and has the proficiency to score over mismatched defenders who might be assigned to him. He’s also a solid defender off the ball, and his role in the NBA will likely be a different scenario than what we saw from him at Milwaukee.
Weaknesses
Baldwin Jr.’s defense on the ball needs plenty of improvement, as he’s given up a lot of points by opponents catching him off balance and driving by him. On the offensive end, he can struggle quite a bit to finish a drive with heavy contact, which forces him to set up and shoot further back as his shots are heavily contested. He’s not as explosive as he could be and his speed needs some improvement. He also battled ankle injuries throughout his lone season at Milwaukee, which could be a deterrent for some NBA teams when considering him in the draft.