Patrick Baldwin Jr., who played high-school basketball at Hamilton High School in Sussex and one year of college basketball at UW-Milwaukee, is headed back to town as a new member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Baldwin is part of the trade that sent Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma.
Here’s what to know about Baldwin:
How old is Patrick Baldwin?
Baldwin just turned 22 years old in November.
How tall is Patrick Baldwin Jr.?
Baldwin stands 6-9, 220 pounds
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Where did Patrick Baldwin Jr. go to school?
Baldwin spent one year at UW-Milwaukee playing for his father, then-head coach Pat Baldwin Sr., after four years playing for Hamilton High School in Sussex, about 20 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
When was Patrick Baldwin Jr. drafted?
Baldwin was taken in the first round, 28th overall, by the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 draft. He was traded to the Washington Wizards in July of 2023 along with fellow Milwaukeean Jordan Poole as part of a deal that sent Chris Paul to Golden State.
What are Patrick Baldwin Jr.’s stats?
In his third NBA season, Baldwin has only played in 91 career games (seven starts). He averages 3.7 points per game and 2.0 rebounds. This year he’s playing only 4.6 minutes per game and averaging 2.1 points per contest.
How did Patrick Baldwin Jr. do at UW-Milwaukee?
Baldwin, regarded as one of the nation’s top-five recruits, made the unique decision to stay close to home and play for his father, Pat Sr., but his lone year in college didn’t pan out. Baldwin Jr. battled an ankle injury and COVID-19, drastically limiting his playing time to 11 games. He averaged only 12.1 points per game with 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists when he was available.
More:‘This was the best thing for me’: Patrick Baldwin Jr. has no regrets about signing with UW-Milwaukee
Baldwin chose UWM over offers from Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, UCLA, Wisconsin, Virginia and more. He became the first top-10 recruit to sign with a mid-major program out of high school since Charles Bassey at Western Kentucky in 2018.
Baldwin Sr. was fired by UW-Milwaukee after the year, going 57-92 over five seasons.
How did Patrick Baldwin Jr. do in high school at Sussex Hamilton?
Baldwin was the highest-rated recruit from Wisconsin in the online rankings era, dating to 1999, with his status as the No. 4 or No. 5 recruit in the nation, depending on which service you asked. He ranked ahead of Whitefish Bay Dominican’s Diamond Stone, Rice Lake’s Henry Ellenson, Appleton West’s Brian Butch, Milwaukee Hamilton’s Kevon Looney, Sheboygan Area Luteheran’s Sam Dekker and Nicolet’s Jalen Johnson, all top-15 recruits.
At Hamilton, Baldwin handled the ball and shot close to 40% from 3-point range. He had moved to the area when Baldwin Sr. — previously an assistant at Northwestern — was hired at UW-Milwaukee, and he enrolled with a school that had enjoyed modest success in boys basketball but wasn’t regarded as one of the powerhouses in high-school basketball.
He averaged 16.3 points per game and led Hamilton to the Division 1 state semifinals as a freshman, its first trip to state since 1987, with a narrow loss to Oshkosh North and future NBA all-star Tyrese Haliburton in the semifinal, 57-56.
Baldwin averaged 19 points per game the following year and led the Chargers to a 21-5 season, but they were stopped short of state by Brookfield Central in the sectional final. The Chargers were still alive in 2020, having defeated Arrowhead in the sectional semifinal, when the remainder of the season was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Baldwin averaged 24.3 points per game that year, and the Chargers finished 22-3, with Baldwin named Gatorade Player of the Year in Wisconsin.
Baldwin missed most of his senior season with a high ankle sprain in the second game of the season. Ankle issues followed him into his college career and even into the start of his pro career.
What is Patrick Baldwin Jr.’s contract?
Baldwin is still on a rookie contract, with a four-year deal worth $13.9 million signed in 2022. With his options declined, he’s a free agent this offseason.
