CHICAGO _ What do you get when you take a blue-chip recruit, add a rules-abiding coach father and throw in a dash of social distancing?
You get what transpired in the Wisconsin home of Patrick Baldwin on April 28.
Baldwin is the nation's No. 3-ranked junior, a smooth operator with the frame of Scottie Pippen and an emerging skill set likened to that of Klay Thompson. His father Pat, the former star Northwestern guard, just completed his third season as head coach at Milwaukee.
With the NCAA prohibiting coaches from "face-to-face" contact with recruits through May 31, the Baldwins did something that reflects the times. Pat, who is recruiting his sought-after son, interacted with Patrick via a Zoom video call. The father was upstairs; the son down in the kitchen with his mother, Shawn.
"It was quite emotional for everyone," Shawn said by text. "Lots of tears, laughs and excitement."
Patrick said he went into the call with a "lighthearted" attitude but that changed once his dad, who walks with the posture of an army general, got serious. Pat told him he'd waited 17 years for such an opportunity.
"He told me about the progress he has seen in me from the time he put the ball in my hands," Baldwin said. "He said whether I decide to play for him or not, he will always love me. He really does hope I choose to play for him."
Baldwin told the Tribune he is having most frequent contact with six schools: Milwaukee, Duke, Northwestern, Michigan, Georgetown and North Carolina. Milwaukee is believed to be in the lead.
"You don't see many coaches' sons not play for their father," he said. "The conference (Horizon League) is a little bit of a drawback but at the end of the day you know he will always have my best interests."
Baldwin practically grew up in the old Welsh-Ryan Arena, and he remains interested enough in Northwestern to watch the highlight tape of guard Julian Roper, who gave Chris Collins his verbal commitment Tuesday. The shooting guard from Michigan turned down offers from the likes of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Baldwin's schedule allowed him to visit Duke for the Blue Devils' 88-64 throttling of Virginia Tech on Feb. 22.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski has told friends he views Baldwin as the "perfect recruit" because of his size, skill, basketball IQ, work ethic and family background.
"Duke was pretty amazing _ to say the least," Baldwin said. "I got to talk to Coach K and Coach (Jon) Scheyer, to see the team and be in the huddle and to be in the locker room with them. You walk into the gym and there's a different energy. It was sold out even though Virginia Tech is a good team but not a crazy ACC (rival)."
He then swung by Chapel Hill, touring the Carolina Basketball Museum, the locker rooms and coaches' offices.
"From a facilities standpoint," he said, "they are a 5-star program."
The 6-foot-10 Baldwin, who prefers to be listed at 6-9 because "it sounds better," said the coronavirus epidemic will not affect his decision or prevent him from leaving the Midwest. He plans to decide in October or November so he can be a "leader" in his recruiting class, build a year-long relationship with his coaches and have a stress-free senior season at Sussex Hamilton High School.
"That's when both my parents committed," he said.
Pat, 6-1, turned down home-state Kansas to become NU's all-time steals leader and a three-time team captain. The 6-foot Shawn never really considered playing volleyball anywhere other than Northwestern.
Collins is rebuilding with young talent after three dud years and might surrender a pinky to sign Patrick, the former Northwestern ballboy.
Pat is 37-58 (.389) at Milwaukee, with the Panthers tying for seventh in the Horizon last season.
Duke needs Patrick as badly as Warren Buffet needs a stock tip. Coach K's program is a magnet for talent; his incoming class has six studs ranked between 11th and 44th in the nation.
Without the freedom to visit campuses, Patrick is finding extra time for his hobbies _ painting and sculpting. At night he watches movies such as "Space Jam" or takes in a more authentic version of Michael Jordan in "The Last Dance."
"You see the way MJ moves; he's just a different athlete," Baldwin said. "People always talked about his mindset. When you see it in action, you realize how much of a killer that guy was. You see the astronomical bets ... he always bet on himself and had that extreme self-confidence."
Baldwin is not ready to commit to a school but this much he knows: He is not about to follow the paths of Jalen Green, Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd, all of whom are going straight from high school to the pros _ but not to the NBA or an existing G League franchise.
"We haven't done much researching," Baldwin said. "I'd say it's 90 percent that I will go to college. My parents went to college and I think that's the route for me. You can't put a price tag on an education."
