Golden State Warriors 20-Year-Old Finally Experiences PB&J Sandwich

It may be a childhood staple, but Golden State Warriors forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. had never chowed down on a PB&J sandwich.

That is despite, sharing initials with the sandwich that fills many a school lunchbox (unless that school is one of those over-the-top anti-peanut ones).

While a pair of Wonderbread slices coated in Jif and slathered in Smuckers is a ubiquitous part of a childhood diet, Baldwin didn't eat one until he was in his 20s.

Baldwin had to make a last-minute trip to San Francisco after getting called up from the G-League's Santa Cruz Warriors. He was asked what his snack of choice was when having to travel on short notice.

“It’s now a PB&J sandwich,” Baldwin Jr. said. “I just had my first one the other day … first one the other day. Ever.”

This drew laughter and befuddlement from reporters. Another asked what his mom packed him when he was in elementary school.

“Turkey sandwiches, cream cheese bagels, anything except a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” he said. “I definitely missed out.”

This fact also blew head coach Steve Kerr's mind.

"I've never met anybody who hasn't had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until they were 20, so that's very rare and ironic given that's his nickname," Kerr said.

For a guy as progressive as Steve Kerr, it's disappointing he would resort to sandwich shaming.

Missing Out On PB&J Seems Shocking, But It Can Happen

Some can't wrap their head around how someone could have PB&Js in their culinary blind spot, but I'll tell you one way it can happen.

I know because I have a startling admission to make: I too, never tried a PB&J sandwich until I was in my 20s.

Like Baldwin, I was a turkey sandwich kid. I'd throw a little yellow mustard on there to give it a little zip. I can't help that my tastebuds matured faster than most kids.

While most kids evolved from PB&Js into turkey sandwich eaters, those who start at turkey move on to other, more exotic deli meats and varieties of bread.

Some PB&J on white bread just isn't going to cut it.

Sometimes when you're driving down was driving down life's sammich highway, you'll miss an exit. That happened to me, and I think it's what happened to Patrick Baldwin Jr.

When that happens what are you supposed to do? Pull the e-brake and cut across traffic? Nope, you keep on going, if you come around to it later, cool. If not, no fuss, no muss.

Baldwin circled back to the PB&J exit, and whaddya know, he digs them.

This surprised me because I've had them and thought they were okay. I chalked everyone's love of PB&Js up to childhood nostalgia. Just because you had something when you were a kid doesn't make it good.

However, Baldwin is an interesting case study on this topic and has punched a hole in my hypothesis.

Perhaps I'll need to revise my hypothesis. This is science after all.

Written by
Matt is a University of Central Florida graduate and a long-suffering Philadelphia Flyers fan living in Orlando, Florida. He can usually be heard playing guitar, shoe-horning obscure quotes from The Simpsons into conversations, or giving dissertations to captive audiences on why Iron Maiden is the greatest band of all time.