At the end of a long recruiting process, 5-star 2021 forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. decided to stay at home. On Wednesday, Baldwin committed to Wisconsin-Milwaukee over Duke and Georgetown. The decision ultimately came down to UWM and Duke; however, Baldwin picked the schools where his father, Patrick Sr., is the head coach.
2021 five-star Patrick Baldwin Jr. tells me he’s committed to play for this father at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/rg4lw18xYx
— Tipton Edits (@TiptonEdits) May 12, 2021
Early on in the recruiting process, Duke seemed to have the edge over UWM. Over the last year or so, that changed; his father’s team became the favorite, while Duke continued to stack a strong 2021 recruiting class.
There were no leaks throughout the process, but in recent weeks it seemed like Duke had potential regained some ground for Baldwin, especially after the transfer of Henry Coleman. That, however, proved false.
Duke’s 2021 class concludes with four commitments, including three players inside the top 20 nationally: 5-star PF Paolo Banchero, 5-star SF AJ Griffin, 5-star SG Trevor Keels and 4-star PG Jaylen Blakes. Those guys will meld with key returnees in Durham: PG Jeremy Roach, wing Wendell Moore Jr., wing Joey Baker and center Mark Williams.
The Blue Devils also added Marquette transfer center Theo John, a veteran rim protector.
During his four seasons coaching Milwaukee, Baldwin’s teams have gone a combined 47-70 (.402). Now, with a future lottery pick on the roster, though, those fortunes should look different for the 2021-22 season.
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