NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-2027)
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Papagiannis dropped 30 and 22? Spurs on that international witchcraft again
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
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NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Definitely some voodoo happening
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Last edited by chosenone58 on 10 Feb 2020, 20:54, edited 1 time in total.
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Keep this going
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd
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Topic author - Posts: 3700
- Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06
NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-??)
Photo courtesy of NBA2K16
“It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Basketball has always been my first love. Always. I thrive on the competition. Not only to be the better than the other team, but to be better than I was in the last game or last season.”
The second biggest competitor for Fortson (he will always tell you the first is himself) is Brooklyn Nets post player Shareef O’Neal. Although Fortson is a year younger, the two share a history that goes all the way back to high school when they each played for rivals Crossroads and Brentwood.
“It was always healthy, but I didn’t like him a little bit,” he laughs. “He was all they talked about you know. He’s a great player, but I think a lot of it came from his dad being who he is. You want to be better than that guy.”
Fortson doesn’t have an NBA pedigree. His mother is a Dean of Academic Affairs at Los Angeles Valley College and his father is a physician at Valley Presbyterian in Van Nuys.
Big Rich, as his friends call him, always felt the need to work harder than everybody else. He always felt that he was a step behind. He was tall and lanky, a growth spurt in the eighth grade made him very uncoordinated.
“It was hard trying to catch up to all this new height,” said Fortson. “But I think I did okay.”
Okay would be an understatement. He was named California Mr. Basketball in 2019, was a starter at UCLA for two seasons, going to the Elite Eight both years before being named the number one overall pick in 2021 NBA Draft. He was named rookie of the year at the end of the season. Following a path similar to you know who.
“I’m just trying to do me, I can’t account for any similarities to anyone else’s career this far.”
Fortson has been a welcome presence in Miami and has worked hard alongside Justice Winslow to get the team back to the top. Injuries during the regular season, to both Fortson and Winslow, derailed Miami’s progress last season, causing them to miss the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Now with the addition of All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, the winds may be changing again in Miami.
“We’re a work in progress, but we try to get better every season. We got a couple unlucky breaks, but we’re looking to bounce back.”
STATS
Season|Team|GP|MPG|PPG|RPG|APG|SPG|BPG|FG%
2025-2026|MIA|40|33.3|23.6|8.5|1.0|0.7|0.9|.448
2024-2025|MIA|80|35.3|22.1|9.5|0.7|0.4|1.3|.467
2023-2024|MIA|77|32.2|24.7|9.2|0.8|0.4|1.1|.461
2022-2023|MIA|82|28.2|20.4|8.8|1.3|0.5|1.5|.472
2021-2022|MIA|77|25.1|17.4|9.1|2.1|0.3|1.0|.459
AWARDS
- NBA All-Star (2023, 2024)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (2022)
- All-Rookie First Team (2022)
Season|Team|GP|MPG|PPG|RPG|APG|SPG|BPG|FG%
2025-2026|MIA|40|33.3|23.6|8.5|1.0|0.7|0.9|.448
2024-2025|MIA|80|35.3|22.1|9.5|0.7|0.4|1.3|.467
2023-2024|MIA|77|32.2|24.7|9.2|0.8|0.4|1.1|.461
2022-2023|MIA|82|28.2|20.4|8.8|1.3|0.5|1.5|.472
2021-2022|MIA|77|25.1|17.4|9.1|2.1|0.3|1.0|.459
AWARDS
- NBA All-Star (2023, 2024)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (2022)
- All-Rookie First Team (2022)
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd