Patrick Baldwin Jr. Bio
Patrick O’Neal Baldwin Jr. (born November 18, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League. A 6’9″ forward, he is known for his shooting range and positional versatility on both ends of the floor. After one injury-shortened college season, he entered the 2022 NBA draft and was selected in the first round by the Golden State Warriors.
Baldwin is the son of a former college head coach, and he entered the NBA as one of the most decorated high school recruits of his class. Across his first three professional seasons he has suited up for Golden State, Washington, and San Antonio in the NBA, while logging extensive time with their G League affiliates.
Early Life and Background
Patrick O’Neal Baldwin Jr. was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and grew up in Evanston, Illinois, where he lived through eighth grade. During his early years in Evanston he played on several basketball teams, including the league FAAM, the Fellowship of Afro-American Men, an experience that helped shape his competitive foundation.
His father, Pat Baldwin, was a standout college basketball player at Northwestern and later became a head coach, while his mother, Shawn Baldwin, played volleyball at Northwestern. In 2017, ahead of his freshman year of high school, the family relocated to Wisconsin when Pat Baldwin accepted the head men’s basketball coaching position at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Path to Basketball
Baldwin attended Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, where he quickly emerged as a national prospect. As a freshman he helped his team reach the Wisconsin state tournament, where they fell 57–56 to Oshkosh North and a young Tyrese Haliburton. By his junior year he was averaging 24.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game and earned Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
Rated as a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2021 class, Baldwin received offers from Duke, Arizona State, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina, USC, and Georgetown. He became the youngest player ever to receive an offer from Duke, earning the scholarship in his sophomore year. He was also named to the rosters of the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic, and the Nike Hoop Summit.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
On May 12, 2021, Baldwin committed to play college basketball for the Milwaukee Panthers under the coaching of his father, becoming the highest-rated recruit ever to sign with a Horizon League program. He made an immediate impact in his college debut, posting 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75–60 win against North Dakota.
His freshman season was cut short by injuries. On November 23, 2021, he suffered a leg injury in a loss to Bowling Green, and on January 5, 2022, he sustained an ankle injury in a win against Green Bay. After returning for a brief stretch in February, Baldwin sat out the remainder of the season for undisclosed reasons and finished the year averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. On April 22, 2022, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
NBA Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Baldwin was selected with the 28th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, and the team announced his signing on July 6, 2022. He opened the season with Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, before making his NBA debut on October 30, 2022, appearing in the final minute of a 128–114 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
His most memorable performance of the season came on December 21, 2022, when he scored a career-high 17 points in a 143–113 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range in 23 minutes. A week later he added 11 points in a 112–107 win over the Utah Jazz, connecting on 4-of-7 shooting and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc in just 13 minutes. Baldwin was reassigned to the G League on February 5, 2023.
Golden State / Santa Cruz Warriors (2022–2023)
Baldwin split his rookie year between Golden State and the Santa Cruz Warriors, earning valuable developmental minutes in the G League. His December scoring surge against Brooklyn and Utah showed the shooting touch that had made him a top recruit, and his assignment pattern reflected the Warriors’ standard approach with first-round prospects.
Washington Wizards / Capital City Go-Go (2023–2025)
On July 6, 2023, the Warriors traded Baldwin, along with Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, and draft picks, to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul. Over the next two seasons he shuttled between Washington and the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards’ G League affiliate, working to refine his game and earn a consistent role.
On February 6, 2025, Baldwin was moved again in a multi-team trade, this time to the San Antonio Spurs, but he was waived by the Spurs the following day. The brief stop in San Antonio closed out his time in the Wizards organization.
San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (2025)
On February 19, 2025, Baldwin signed with the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League, and on March 1 he signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared in two games for Los Angeles, averaging 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, before being waived on July 29. On October 2, the Clippers brought him back on a training camp contract, though he was waived again prior to the start of the regular season on October 18.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 6’9″ with a long frame, Baldwin Jr. projects as a modern forward who can space the floor with his outside shooting and switch across multiple positions on defense. His college and early NBA flashes, particularly his 5-of-8 performance from three-point range against Brooklyn, highlight the perimeter skill set that made him a five-star recruit.
Notable Events and Milestones
Baldwin was a member of the United States team that won the gold medal at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia, averaging 7.7 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor. He was also selected for the Nike Hoop Summit Team, though the event was canceled due to COVID-19, and he was a McDonald’s All-American that same year.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. Career Wins
Baldwin Jr.’s career has been defined more by development and flashes of potential than by headline victories. His biggest team triumph came internationally, as a member of the 2021 United States squad that captured the FIBA Under-19 World Cup gold medal in Latvia. At the NBA level, his standout individual result remains his 17-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets in December 2022.
NBA / G League Highlights
In the NBA, Baldwin’s most notable win was a 112–107 victory over the Utah Jazz in late December 2022, when he scored 11 points in just 13 minutes off the bench. His G League assignments with the Santa Cruz Warriors and Capital City Go-Go gave him extended developmental minutes, and his February 2025 signing with the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League provided another platform to showcase his skill set.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Basketball runs deep in the Baldwin household. His father, Pat Baldwin, starred at Northwestern before becoming the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, the same program his son would later choose. Pat Baldwin is currently an assistant coach at Valparaiso, continuing a long career in college coaching. His mother, Shawn Baldwin, played volleyball at Northwestern, giving Patrick a multi-sport athletic pedigree.
Personal Life
Patrick O’Neal Baldwin Jr. carries a clear basketball lineage from both sides of his family. The 2017 family move to Wisconsin to support his father’s coaching career placed him at Hamilton High School, where he blossomed into one of the top recruits in the country before launching his professional career in 2022.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been a period of transition for Baldwin. After being traded to the San Antonio Spurs on February 6, 2025, and waived the next day, he quickly found a new home with the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League, signing on February 19. Less than two weeks later, on March 1, he added a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, giving him an NBA opportunity alongside his G League assignment.
His two-way stint with Los Angeles produced limited but encouraging returns, as he averaged 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists across two appearances before being waived on July 29. The Clippers brought him back on October 2 with a training camp deal, signaling continued interest, though he was waived again on October 18 prior to the regular season opener.
Looking ahead, Baldwin remains an intriguing long-term prospect whose perimeter skill set and positional size at 6’9″ continue to draw developmental investment. His pathway back to a stable NBA role will likely run through consistent G League production in San Diego, where the Clippers organization can monitor his growth and integrate him into a contending roster when the timing is right.