GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 25, 2022

Patrick Baldwin

Media Conference

Q. How do you feel physically you obviously didn't play in the summer league but sounds like you're scrimmage managing?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: Physically I've been good for a while so pretty much since Summer League I've been able to scrimmage and do pretty much everything on the court with no restrictions. Feeling good right now. Feeling healthy.

Q. What have the first few days of training camp been like for you? Steve Kerr talked about lively scrimmaging.

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: Yeah, first and foremost it's been an eye-opener for sure. But I think we are all getting in there and we are all competing. There's a lot of good guys in this group right now, and I think we are all pushing ourselves to be a great team come season time.

Q. What do you mean by "eye-opener"? What's something that might have surprised you?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: There was a good amount of stuff that surprised me but overall the competitive level and the way we talk and the way that you have to talk to be on this team is really important for me and something I've learned so far.

Q. You've now scrimmaged against the main guys a couple times. Are they as good as you expected or even better out there playing with them?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: They are as good as advertised. It goes to show, they are a championship starting five. But they have bee doing their things. They are great players and future Hall of Famers in their own right, and it's been cool to play against them.

Q. What do you like about this second unit, the bench you guys are going to have that's filled with a bunch of young guys?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: First and foremost, the second unit is super young and super energetic. It's that pop off the bench. But at the same time, we have Donte very seasoned and Jordan Poole who has kind of established himself, and then JaMychal Green who has also had some time in the league, so there's a good mix of veterans and old guys and young guys, so I think it's a good group and a good mix.

Q. Have you allowed yourself to sort of wonder what you would have to do to get minutes and if so, what are those things?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: So there have been some talks about what I have to do. I think day-by-day, I'm taking care of it and making sure that I'm putting my best foot forward and doing the things that they are asking me to possibly get some rotation minutes this year.

Q. And what are those things; if you can share.

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: I think most importantly is rebounding and defending. If you can defend for Steve Kerr you can play. Really understanding the principles and first and foremost guarding your man one-on-one.

Steve Kerr is a defensive coach, and I'm sure you guys all know that but that's one of the main things with him; if you can defend, you can play.

Q. What I've heard from a couple people around here is that you "have a good feel for the game." What do you think that means?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: Yeah, I think you hear that term thrown around a lot with a lot of coach's sons, you know, Doug McDermott, Michael Porter, guys stepping in to fill a lot of different roles without having to be seasoned for a long time.

So I think that's one of my strong suits, just being able to come in and really be myself and if myself is somebody that can contribute, I think that's a plus in my book.

Q. You were one of the top recruits coming out of high school, college didn't maybe go as expected but now in the NBA, what's the balance of wanting to show the talent that you have but fitting into the team concept?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: Yeah, you have to understand who you're playing with, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond, and also who you are going to be playing with in the future with the young guys and the young core.

So just that balance of being able to figure out where you fit in, where you can help out the older guys as well as working on your game.

That's been a nice balance that I think I've already found pretty well so far.

Q. Klay was saying earlier that if you don't get yelled at by Draymond, you shouldn't be part of the Warriors. Have you had that moment yet where he's gotten on you.

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: It's day two. I haven't, fortunately, been yelled at by Draymond but I've been coached up by Draymond, and he's been doing a great job helping me out the first couple of days.

Q. Do you have a sense of what that means to the group and what it has meant over years?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: You're talking about ...

Q. Draymond just being not afraid to let you have it, or be kind of the big, vocal leader?

PATRICK BALDWIN, JR.: Yeah, you definitely feel that in the gym when he steps in. It's just a different pedigree and mentality he comes in with and it's contagious.

So when Draymond is in the gym, you know it, and when he's on the court, you feel it. So when you have a guy like that, you can talk to in the locker room, talk to on the court, that's a plus for any young guy.