Ace Baldwin Jr.

Baldwin grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Saint Frances Academy.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-sp-va-bcl-tite-game-0302-20200301-lx3usg3qljbchmzf7a4x6a62ru-story.html|title=Adrian 'Ace' Baldwin leads No. 2 St. Frances over No. 1 Mount Saint Joseph, 81–65, for 3rd straight BCL crown|work=Baltimore Sun|date=March 1, 2020|access-date=March 17, 2023}} His nickname, "Ace", was given to him as a baby, a reference to the film Paid in Full.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/ncaa/johnson-baldwin-jr-discuss-best-part-of-game-day|title= Johnson, Baldwin Jr. discuss best part of game day|work=NBC Sports|date=November 14, 2023}} He was named the Metro Player of the Year after averaging 14 points, six assists, four rebounds, and four steals per game during his junior season.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-va-sp-boys-basketball-player-2018-19-story.html|title=2018–19 All-Metro boys basketball Player of the Year: Adrian Baldwin, St. Frances|work=Baltimore Sun|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=March 17, 2023}} Baldwin repeated as the co-Player of the Year as a senior.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-sp-va-boys-basketball-player-2020-20200331-rhxv7jejxbc57j5zotxngptp5a-story.html|title=Players of the year: Adrian Baldwin & Justin Lewis|work=Baltimore Sun|date=March 31, 2020|access-date=March 17, 2023}} He was rated a four-star recruit and committed to playing college basketball for VCU over offers from Virginia, Villanova, Georgetown, Maryland, Kansas State, and Seton Hall.{{cite web|url=https://richmond.com/sports/college/point-guard-adrian-ace-baldwin-commits-to-vcu-becoming-first-piece-of-important-2020-recruiting/article_979fcb6e-5ee5-11e9-944a-4b5f391638a4.html|title=Point guard Adrian 'Ace' Baldwin commits to VCU, becoming first piece of important 2020 recruiting class|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=April 14, 2019|access-date=March 17, 2023}}

Baldwin started all 26 of the VCU Rams' games during his freshman season and averaged 6.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/basketball/pg-vg-ncaa-tournament-baltimore-players-20210318-qnx7ytqu2nbprkwfnuw6t7jr3i-photogallery.html|title=Players with Baltimore ties in the 2021 NCAA basketball tournaments|work=Baltimore Sun|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 17, 2023}}{{cite web|url=http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2021/feb/18/no-1-baldwin-aces-assists-vcu-rams/|title=No. 1 Baldwin aces assists for VCU Rams|work=Richmond Free Press|date=February 18, 2021|access-date=March 17, 2023}} Following a 19-7 regular season, Baldwin's VCU team clinched an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, but forfeited following a COVID-19 outbreak on the team.{{Cite web |last=Forde |first=Pat |date=2021-03-20 |title='It's Brutal': VCU's Forfeit a Gut Punch to March Madness |url=https://www.si.com/college/2021/03/21/vcu-covid-out-ncaa-tournament-march-madness |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}

The start to Baldwin's sophomore season was delayed due to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in the offseason.{{cite web|url=https://richmond.com/sports/college/vcus-ace-baldwin-recovering-from-achilles-injury-returns-to-live-action-in-practice/article_55a2bab8-5466-11ec-b4c8-fbe7278a1131.html|title=VCU's Ace Baldwin, recovering from Achilles injury, returns to live action in practice|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=December 3, 2021|access-date=March 17, 2023}} He returned in December and was named second-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference after averaging 11.4 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.{{cite web|url=https://richmond.com/sports/college/vcu/with-ace-baldwin-jr-orchestrating-vcu-takes-opener/article_d8321b75-4c06-5e6b-8b2f-08d63e876027.html|title=With Ace Baldwin Jr. orchestrating, VCU takes opener|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=November 8, 2022|access-date=March 17, 2023}}

As a junior, Baldwin averaged 12.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. On February 3, 2023, Baldwin notched a career high 37 points in a 73-65 victory over Saint Louis.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-03 |title=BALDWIN TORCHES BILLIKENS FOR 37, RAMS TAKE A-10 LEAD |url=https://vcuathletics.com/news/2023/2/3/mens-basketball-baldwin-torches-billikens-for-37-rams-take-a-10-lead.aspx |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Virginia Commonwealth University |language=en}} On March 12, 2023, Baldwin scored 16 points and notched 7 assists in the Atlantic 10 Championship game, in which VCU defeated Dayton 68-56. He scored 13 points in his first and only NCAA Tournament game, a 63-51 loss to Saint Mary's.{{Cite web |title=Ace Baldwin Jr. Career Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/adrian-balwinjr-1/gamelog/ |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}

He was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Atlantic 10.{{cite web|url=https://www.wric.com/college-sports/vcu-sports/vcus-baldwin-named-a-10-player-of-the-year-defensive-player-of-the-year/|title=VCU's Baldwin named A-10 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year|first=Will|last=Gonzalez|website=WRIC.com|date=March 7, 2023|access-date=March 17, 2023}} Baldwin entered the NCAA transfer portal after the season following the departure of VCU head coach Mike Rhoades.{{cite web|url=https://www.wtvr.com/sports/ace-baldwin-vcu-transfer-portal-march-30-2023|title=Rams star Ace Baldwin, numerous VCU teammates enter the transfer portal|first=Lane|last=Casadonte|website=WTVR.com|date=March 30, 2023|access-date=April 3, 2023}}

On April 9, 2023, Baldwin announced that he would be transferring to Penn State for his senior season, joining his former coach Mike Rhoades.{{cite web |title=Former VCU guard Ace Baldwin transferring to Penn State |url=https://theathletic.com/4395655/2023/04/09/vcu-ace-baldwin-transfer-penn-state/ |website=The Athletic |access-date=April 9, 2023}} As a senior, Baldwin averaged 14.2 points, 6.0 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game.{{Cite web |title=Ace Baldwin Jr. College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/adrian-balwinjr-1.html |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} On January 10, 2024, Baldwin set a career-high and tied a Penn State record with eight steals in a 76-72 loss to Northwestern.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Ben |date=2024-01-11 |title=5 Takeaways From Penn State's Loss to Northwestern |url=https://www.statecollege.com/articles/penn-state-basketball/5-takeaways-from-penn-states-loss-to-northwestern/ |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=StateCollege.com |language=en-US}} Following the regular season, Baldwin was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and a semifinalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-13 |title=Baldwin Jr. Named Semifinalist for Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://gopsusports.com/news/2024/3/13/mens-basketball-baldwin-jr-named-semifinalist-for-naismith-national-defensive-player-of-the-year.aspx |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Penn State Athletics |language=en}}

{{NBA player statistics legend}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21

| style="text-align:left;"| VCU

| 26 || 26 || 29.9 || .372 || .260 || .769 || 3.2 || 4.4 || 2.1 || .0 || 6.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22

| style="text-align:left;"| VCU

| 24 || 24 || 33.5 || .417 || .413 || .743 || 3.5 || 5.5 || 2.5 || .2 || 11.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23

| style="text-align:left;"| VCU

| 30 || 30 || 34.9 || .421 || .342 || .795 || 2.9 || 5.8 || 2.2 || .1 || 12.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24

| style="text-align:left;"| Penn State

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 80 || 80 || 32.8 || .408 || .347 || .774 || 3.2 || 5.2 || 2.3 || .1 || 10.4

{{S-end}}

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career steals leaders

{{Reflist}}

• [https://gopsusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ace-baldwin-jr-/14187 Penn State Nittany Lions bio]
• [https://vcuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/adrian--ace--baldwin-jr-/4661 VCU Rams bio]

{{Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin, Ace Jr.}}

Category:2001 births

Category:Living people

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Basketball players from Baltimore

Category:Penn State Nittany Lions basketball players

Category:Point guards

Category:Saint Frances Academy (Baltimore) alumni

Category:VCU Rams men's basketball players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen