Wade Baldwin is preparing for his third season with Fenerbahce after winning the first EuroLeague title of his career in Istanbul. At 30, after collecting numerous individual honors, the American guard now has a clear priority: winning as many trophies as possible.
“Now it’s about racking up as many championships as I can”
Speaking to Eurohoops during Fenerbahce’s media day, Baldwin explained what he still needs to accomplish to establish himself among the competition’s greatest guards.
“Obviously, the championships. That’s the ultimate goal at this point. A lot of the individual stuff has been taken care of. Now it’s about racking up as many championships as I can.”
Baldwin has previously discussed the possibility of testing himself in the NBA again if the right opportunity arises. His priorities, however, are increasingly focused on building a historic EuroLeague career.
“It’s always a good process and a good problem to have. I’ve put myself in this position, and I’m leaning more toward becoming one of the best EuroLeague guards ever.”
Wade Baldwin and Shane Larkin: from rivals to teammates
His pursuit of more titles will now include a partnership with Shane Larkin, one of his biggest rivals over the past several seasons.
“He’s been a competitor of mine for seven or eight years in the EuroLeague. You always wanted to prove you were better than Shane Larkin, but now we’re on the same team.”
Baldwin compared the situation to his previous experience with Nando De Colo.
“I had similar feelings about Nando De Colo. We played against him so many times, and I always wanted to prove that I was a better player. Then I got a wonderful opportunity to play with him on the same team and reach the Final Four.”
Now, the goal is to turn that rivalry into a winning partnership.
“We want to find a way to come together as a team and try to accomplish the goal that both of us have: winning the championship and getting back where we belong.”
“To be on the same side as Larkin is something to be excited about”
After years of facing Larkin, Baldwin is looking forward to finally having him on his side of the court.
“Shane is exactly what you see. We’ve gained a good understanding of who Shane Larkin is over the last eight to ten years that he’s been in the EuroLeague. To be on the same side as him now is something to be very excited about.”
How Šarūnas Jasikevičius changed Baldwin’s game
Baldwin also explained how his understanding of the point guard position evolved during his time under Šarūnas Jasikevičius.
The biggest adjustment involved understanding the responsibilities of a point guard beyond individual production.
“The expectations of a point guard. I didn’t truly understand how to play just the point guard position and fully understand how to integrate and get everybody involved.”
“This was a big step I took when I came to Fenerbahce: understanding the leadership that goes into it and how the habits you develop each day shape the type of player you are when the game starts.”
“Being clutch isn’t just about hitting a buzzer-beater”
His definition of a clutch player has also evolved. Baldwin no longer sees decisive contributions as being limited to shots at the buzzer.
“Last year, I showed a variety of different game-winners. In both Barcelona games, I won it at the free-throw line. In Game 4 against Zalgiris, I hit the big layup to force overtime.”
“Obviously, there was the game-winner against Panathinaikos, and then we followed it up by winning the championship in Game 4 of the Turkish League Finals.”
Baldwin takes pride in his teammates’ development
The departure of Tarik Biberovic for the NBA was particularly meaningful for Baldwin, who believed in his former teammate’s potential before even arriving at Fenerbahce.
“So many memories. I was very excited to come and play with Tarik even before I got to Fener. I saw something in him.”
“I believed that he could become a professional player for Real Madrid, succeed outside the EuroLeague and become an NBA talent. It’s very special to me that I got to help his progression toward becoming an NBA player.”
“I take a lot of pride in my teammates”
Baldwin highlighted the number of teammates who made significant strides while playing alongside him.
He recalled Vladimir Lucic, who became an All-EuroLeague First Team selection during their time at Bayern, Simone Fontecchio at Baskonia, who later moved to the NBA, and Lorenzo Brown, who earned All-EuroLeague First Team honors at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
He also mentioned Nigel Hayes-Davis, who developed into an MVP-caliber player and Final Four MVP, as well as T.J. Horton-Tucker, who became an All-EuroLeague player, and Biberovic, who moved to the NBA.
“I take a lot of pride in my teammates, not just in being the guy who receives a lot of the attention.”
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