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Duke target Patrick Baldwin says he’s “75 percent sure” of where he’s going to play basketball next season.
“I think I know where I would like to go,” Baldwin said. “So, I’m just kinda just sitting on it right now.” He's got 10 schools on his list - Duke, Milwaukee, Kentucky, Michigan, Georgetown, Northwestern, UNC, UCLA, Wisconsin and Virginia.
Of those, Duke and Milwaukee are generally considered the favorites although he has family ties to Northwestern. The UNC and Kentucky posts we’ve seen are pessimistic about their chances and, for what it’s worth, the Crystal Ball is all pointing towards Duke.
That said, he has some things to work through. His mother and father both went to Northwestern and he’s very familiar with the program there. And of course his father is the coach at Milwaukee, which presents all sorts to things to think about.
When Jason Capel was being recruited his dad, Jeff, who was coaching at Old Dominion, told his son that while he’d love to coach him, UNC was realistically the better option.
What would Baldwin’s dad say? Who can know? He could say yes, Duke is a bigger stage and Mike Krzyzewski is one of the greatest coaches of all time, possibly even the GOAT, but he can’t love you like your dad can.
And no one outside of their circle has any idea of the family dynamics. We’re sure they love each other but the younger Baldwin might want to test himself away from home. Or there could be things tying him to home as long as possible. Think of all the players in recent years who transferred home to be near an ailing loved one, for example.
It’s just impossible to know much so, like everyone else, there’s nothing to do but wait and wish Baldwin and his family well as they process this decision.