NCAA Basketball: 10 potential options for Milwaukee transfer Patrick Baldwin Jr.
UCLA Bruins
There was a big logjam on the wings this past season but that has been cleared up in the offseason, with Johnny Juzang going pro, Jake Kyman transferring out, and freshman and former five-star prospect Peyton Watson also going pro. That leaves Jaime Jaquez, Jr. set to return but he’s likely going to play some power forward, now that Cody Riley also is leaving.
Having a Baldwin/Jaquez pairing on the wings gives the Bruins a ton of versatility to work with. And the offensive style would be a good fit for the prospect too. Head coach Mick Cronin can do a great job at preparing Baldwin for the next level, especially on the defensive end and they would be a favorite to win the Pac-12 next season. Plus, playing in Los Angeles provides good visibility for one’s personal profile in today’s age of NIL.
Wisconsin Badgers
The other “local” option may look much more intriguing for Baldwin compared to a year ago after the All-American campaign of Big Ten Player of the Year Johnny Davis. He’s off to the pros and the Badgers are going to need to find some production in the portal to make up for his loss. With Brad Davison also gone, Baldwin could come in at the small forward spot and have a large role in the offense and potentially put up similar numbers as Davis did if he’s fully healthy.
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Wisconsin has already landed one Horizon League transfer this offseason in Green Bay guard Kamari McGee, so why not add another? Baldwin would be a massive pickup for the program, who has historically struggled in keeping top in-state prospects from leaving. Baldwin left them once but the coaching staff could get another chance to get a marquee pickup to boost their odds in 2023.