SAN FRANCISCO -- Immediately after the Warriors selected Patrick Baldwin Jr. with the No. 28 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Golden State's newest rookie went viral for all the right reasons. Especially in the eyes of Dub Nation.
In his best game of his short college career, one where he scored 26 points and made all six of his 3-point attempts, Baldwin pulled off his best Steph Curry impression when he let it fly from the right corner. The moment the ball came off his fingers, Baldwin turned to his opposition's sidelines as his shot swished through the nets, giving his Milwaukee Panthers a 25-22 lead.
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Baldwin revealed Friday to reporters at his Warriors introductory press conference that he was whistled for his first technical foul ever for the no-look three. With his father, who was his coach at Milwaukee, in the front row, the 19-year-old said that move was purely spur of the moment but it was well worth the tech.
"We needed that fire," Baldwin said.
While Baldwin's flare wasn't by design, the Warriors' two second-round picks have found inspiration in two former Golden State players who now hold important roles with the franchise.
Going into Thursday night's draft, the Warriors owned the No. 28 pick, the No. 51 pick and the No. 55 pick. They had Baldwin much higher on their big board than where he was selected, and the same goes for Ryan Rollins, the Warriors' top second-round pick -- one they saw as a possible first-round talent.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors think so highly of the former Toledo guard that they spent $2 million to move up from No. 51 to No. 44 in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. Rollins revealed Friday that the Warriors even tried to move up to No. 30 overall, the last pick in the first round, to snatch him. He also revealed which players he models his game after the most.
Of the current stars in the NBA, Rollins is a big fan of watching CJ McCollum and Devin Booker. He didn't hesitate in mentioning Jordan Poole and Steph Curry as well, and said he's ready to ask those two a lot of questions. But perhaps his biggest muse is one he's going to be around all the time now.
That would be former Warriors guard and current director of players affairs and engagement Shaun Livingston, who was in attendance at Chase Center on Friday.
"When I came in, he showed me love," Rollins said of Livingston. "We got the Midwest connection. He was somebody that I looked up to when they went on that championship run, someone that I really appreciate.
"I really liked his game a lot."
Rollins didn't get to meet Livingston when the Warriors brought him in for his pre-draft workout, but it's easy to see why he associates himself with the former No. 4 pick from 2004 draft. It's also easy to see why the Warriors might envision a little bit of Livingston in Rollins' game.
Ever since Livingston retired after the 2019 season, the Warriors have been searching for a long backup guard who can make an impact in multiple ways. Livingston stands 6-foot-7. Rollins is just over 6-foot-3. But he has an incredible 6-foot-10 wingspan, one inch shorter than Livingston's.
Also like Livingston, Rollins owned the mid-range game in college. Per Synergy Sports, Rollins averaged 0.89 points per pull-up jump shot. With his length and quickness, Rollins should be a strong defensive player at the next level, too. He averaged 1.7 steals and 6.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore while putting up 18.9 points per game.
And he isn't alone in looking to be like a former Warriors player.
When the Warriors hosted Gui Santos for a workout during their playoff run, Leandro Barbosa posted a picture of the young Brazilian prospect on his Instagram story. The mere mention of Barbosa had Santos smiling from ear to ear his first time meeting Bay Area media members. Santos called Barbosa a mentor more than once, and will continue to learn from him with Barbosa being a player-mentor coach for Steve Kerr's staff.
"I can say he's the biggest idol," Santos said when asked how big Barbosa was for him growing up in Brazil. "Everybody wants to be like him. He's a big idol there."
Santos called it "amazing" to continue to learn from Barbosa and be around him even more. The recently turned 20-year-old forward played with Barbosa for the Brazilian club Minas in the 2019-20 season when Barbosa led the league in scoring at 37 years old. The two quickly formed a big brother, little brother bond with Barbosa taking Santos under his wings.
The draft process can be grueling, both mentally and physically. Santos and countless others have been preparing for this moment for years, and the closer the date to this year's draft became, the more of a job interview everything feels like.
Having Barbosa as someone Santos could turn to was the exact calming presence he needed.
"When I saw him there, I felt more relaxed," Santos said. "If I need something, he's going to help me. So, I know I have somebody here to support me."
Barbosa in his two seasons with the Warriors turned into a fan-favorite in no time. He brought energy to the court and all throughout the building, just as he does now as a coach. When Kerr needed a spark off the bench, he knew he could turn to the trusted veteran. Santos, who stands 6-foot-8, wants to show his versatility once he gets a chance, but he also wants to one day take what made Barbosa so famous.
His lightning-quick first step is legendary in Brazil, The Bay and beyond.
He's called the "Brazilian Blur" for a reason.
"I'm always asking him about his first step," Santos said. "The Brazilian Blur. I'm always asking him about that. 'How did you do it? How did you use your arm like that to cook me easily?'
"He tried to teach me, so now I really want to learn that from him."
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The Warriors didn't hide how big of fans they are of Rollins, though he'll have to earn a roster spot. Santos still is under contract with Minas through 2024, so it will be up to Golden State if he stays in Brazil for the time being or comes over stateside.
Either way, from the veterans on the roster to two former veterans who still hold strong voices in the building, the Warriors clearly have the right leaders and mentors for their newest second-rounders to look up to.