Patrick Baldwin Jr. has been surrounded by basketball his entire life.
His father, Pat Baldwin Sr., was an assistant at several collegiate programs in the Midwest before earning his first head coaching gig at UW-Milwaukee, where Baldwin ended up playing.
Of all the basketball players Baldwin watched and encountered growing up, he idolized Warriors forward Draymond Green the most.
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And now, after Golden State selected Baldwin with the No. 28 overall pick in Thursday's draft, they are teammates.
In an interview with Kahrima Winston of the Shepherd Express back in February, four months before draft day, Baldwin expressed his admiration for Green.
“One of my inspirations, leadership wise, is Draymond Green,” Baldwin said. “I know people don’t say that too often. With his leadership style, I don’t think people understand that in order to be that type of vocal leader, you have to be that guy who brings it every single night. Since I’ve watched Draymond in college and in the NBA, he’s been a guy who brings it every single night.”
Green was in Golden State's draft room when general manager Bob Myers made the selection. He had no qualms about the Warriors' choice.
Golden State Warriors
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"Draymond values that kind of thinking player. He liked it," Myers said of the selection. "If he didn't, he'd tell me."
By following the example of a four-time champion, Baldwin clearly has the right mentality heading into his NBA career. As Green echoed during the Warriors' championship parade, winners win.