Warrior’s tall man Kevon Looney is, well, tall.
And rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. was reminded of that fact the hard way during an on-court encounter that he described as his very own “welcome to the NBA” moment.
Baldwin Jr. and fellow rookie Ryan Rollins took part in 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” show Thursday, where the Milwaukee product detailed the hilarious wake-up call.
“I think my first experience — and I’m sure Ryan’s had to get through Kevon Looney screens a couple of times,” said Baldwin Jr., with whom Rollins agreed. “I guard the wings and the guards and turn on the guards and then boom you get hit by a Kevon Looney screen and it’s like a rock.
“So that was kind of my ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment, just physically, but Kevon puts great screens.”
Looney’s height, stepping onto the court at 6ft 9 and 235 pounds, is the perfect example of what Baldwin Jr. can expect as he makes the transition from college basketball to competing in the NBA.
While the rookie himself isn’t too far from that height and weight, holding his own against a defender is certainly an art that Looney has learned to master.
As Baldwin Jr. noted, Looney is an exceptional screensetter — just one of many traits that over the years have helped him shoot for his Golden State teammates and establish himself as a critical part of the team’s success.
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The Warriors selected Baldwin Jr. and Rollins in the 2022 NBA Draft, picking them 28th and 44th, respectively.
And while their young teammate James Wiseman learns from Looney down the middle, the two rookies may be able to glean some information from their veteran colleague on how to rock harder on the court.
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