The former Tall Blacks coach will always be fondly remembered for leading the national side to a remarkable fourth place at the World Championships in 2002.
But Baldwin's coaching career reached a crossroads when he was let go by the Otago Nuggets after leading the team during its unsuccessful debut season in the National Basketball League in 1990.
Born in Florida, the 55-year-old moved to Dunedin in 1988 to coach the Nuggets in the old second division. He fell in love with the country and initially his first coaching stint outside of the United States went well.
''It was a good year in '88,'' Baldwin said.
''We finished second and didn't quite reach our goal of getting promoted. But '89 was the year full of political issues with the national second division falling apart and Basketball New Zealand kind of wanted Otago in national league, so they basically gave us a free pass.
''All we had to do was win the southern division of the second division and that was only four games. It really wasn't much of a challenge and we managed to do that.
''They were great times. That was when I fell in love with New Zealand and that was the catalyst for me staying.''
Baldwin, who will return to Dunedin later this week to lead the Hawkes Bay Hawks in their crucial match against the Nuggets, said everything started to unravel in 1990. The Nuggets finished second-last in their debut season with a record of 4-18.
And worse, the franchise got into financial trouble and was threatened with expulsion from the league.
''It was a highly frustrating year. Looking back on it, expectations were high and they were too high. And, of course, a losing environment does not encourage the things we needed like growth and the development of sponsors.
''I remember being devastated when I was told I wouldn't be brought back.
''I didn't really have any other opportunity, so that's why I went down to Invercargill and ran a YMCA.
''I loved New Zealand so much and I didn't want to leave a failure, so that was the reason I stayed.''
While his time in Dunedin ended a ''bit sour'', he still has ''some great memories'' from his time in the South.
Baldwin will be hoping to add to those happy memories with a win against his old team. The Hawks are coming off a humbling loss to the Super City Rangers on Sunday and face a tough weekend with the Nuggets on Friday and the Southland Sharks on Saturday.
The Hawks are 2-4 and desperate to get their season back on course.
''Every game now is defining for us if we are going to resurrect our season and make a run in this league. We've put ourselves in a big hole and we can't afford to let the hole get any deeper.''
The Nuggets have made a perfect start to the season with seven consecutive wins. Their starting five is perhaps the most balanced in the league and Baldwin is particularly wary of the threat they pose in the paint.
''We have to match their physicality because everybody knows they are easily the most physical team in the league. You are not going to get in the paint without getting beat up.
''We don't expect to get any calls down there ... so we just have to be the bigger, tougher, uglier guys.
''We have certain advantages in terms of speed and athleticism but we can't allow the Nuggets to just pound us the way they did at our place.''
The Nuggets beat the Hawks 81-74 at Pettigrew Green Arena last month.
Otago Nuggets swingman Akeem Wright has been named NBL player of the week following an impressive haul of 35 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks in the 111-93 win against the Taranaki Mountain Airs at the Edgar Centre on Saturday night.
Team-mate BJ Anthony continues to lead the league in scoring and captain Mark Dickel leads in steals and is second in assists.
