By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Wade Baldwin IV will not travel to Greece along with his Baskonia teammates to face his former team, Olympiacos on Friday.
Baldwin, 25, requested to remain in Vitoria-Gasteiz as his wife is expected to deliver their baby in the next few days. He is considered likely to also miss Sunday’s ACB Regular Season Round 4 fixture at Baxi Manresa. He started the 2021-22 season logging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists helping his side to a 2-1 start in the Spanish league.
Apart from the former Vanderbilt guard, Alec Peters will remain out for the team coached by Dusko Ivanovic. Rokas Giedraitis remains questionable for the away game versus Olympiacos. With unavailable players piling up early in the season, Baskonia recently added swingman Alex Barrera on a temporary contract.
Baldwin joined Baskonia in July off on the heels of his successful 2020-21 campaign at FC Bayern Munich. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per EuroLeague contest, a major boost compared to his 5.5 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 rebounds per game as a member of Olympiacos in his debut EuroLeague run. In addition, he helped Andrea Trinchieri’s side win the German Cup.
The New Jersey native was selected 17th overall in the 2016 NBA draft. He went on to compete in 63 NBA matches between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers through the first three years of his professional career before moving his talents to Europe.
Following Olympiacos, Baskonia is scheduled to host AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano on October 8, on Round 2 of the EuroLeague Regular Season.