SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson knows a shooter when he sees one.
With one of the most picturesque shooting forms in the history of basketball, the first ballot Hall of Famer and Splash Brother is an authority on pretty 3-point shots. He likes what he sees in Warriors rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr.
After dropping 42 points in Friday’s 116-101 win over the Houston Rockets, Thompson showed some love to the lanky No. 28 overall pick. Baldwin entered the game late in the first quarter and ended up playing 16 minutes, draining three 3-pointers en route to 11 points.
“PBJ has a beautiful shot,” Klay said. “What a steal we got in him. Just oozing with potential. Beautiful shot, perfect form. At that height, he’s a prototypical wing player. He’s got star potential. I love his humility. I love his work ethic.”
That’s some lofty praise from Klay, who became the first player in NBA history Friday to record his third game with at least 12 3-pointers.
While Baldwin is starting to force his way into the rotation, he was still the third forward off the bench Friday behind veteran JaMychal Green and two-way player Anthony Lamb. Before the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said outsiders clamoring for more PBJ playing time might need more patience. But he understands the excitement for the youngster.
“It’s really exciting. When I watch Patrick, I see a future rotation player,” Kerr said. “He fits. You can see it. He makes shots from the perimeter with ease. Shoots it from such a level of extension that you can barely challenge the shot. I’m not comparing him to this player, but when Michael Porter Jr. shoots the ball in Denver, you can’t really challenge the shot. When Kevin Durant shoots it at 6-11, you can’t really challenge it. He has that kind of extension, size and shooting ability.”
Before his lone college season was cut short due to injury, Baldwin Jr. was regarded as one of the top high school recruits in the nation. We’re seeing that potential now in the NBA.
Even though he’s listed at 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, the 20-year-old Baldwin might be taller. He hoists his jumper high over head and the ball rotation is often sparkling once it leaves his hands. It looks like it’s going in every time. On Friday night, he went 3-of-5 from distance to record his first consecutive games of scoring double digits, as he also hit three 3-pointers and had 11 points on Thursday night. He’s now shooting a scorching 47.4 percent from beyond the arc this season.
“He’s confident,” guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “It’s not easy to be a rookie and get thrown in randomly. … It’s not easy to do. Especially when you’re not playing consistently, not playing with normal you play with, you’re going back and forth to the G League. It’s hard. To have that mental strength and be confident and come is much needed and much appreciated.”
Defensively, Baldwin might still be susceptible to getting beat by smaller, faster players. At one point early in the fourth quarter, 6-foot-4 guard Josh Christopher scored on Baldwin three straight possessions. Usually, Baldwin shows solid awareness on the defensive end and does a great job of holding his ground and not going for shot fakes. With his length and athleticism, he has all the tools to be a disruptor on defense.
To this point, Baldwin’s playing time has been sparing as he’s shuttled between the NBA and G League, but he might be forcing Kerr’s hand for more minutes. Kerr said Baldwin would have got minutes Friday even if Draymond Green (right knee contusion) and Andrew Wiggins (family matter) were available.
“He’s been great all season,” guard Ty Jerome said. “Especially for him, he never knows when he’s gonna play. So he comes into the game at random times, locked and loaded, shooting at a really high clip. That’s super impressive for a guy his age.”
We’ll have to see how the two-way roster spots with Lamb and Jerome work out. Following Friday’s contest, Lamb is up to 45 out of a possible 50 NBA games this season, while Jerome is up to 41. If Lamb’s role is eventually exhausted and he’s not brought on full-time, perhaps we can expect a spike in PBJ’s minutes.
It’s not like Lamb is a dynamite defender. Perhaps Baldwin can grow into that stretch four role for Kerr in the coming weeks regardless.
