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San Francisco, California- The Golden State Warriors had the number two pick in the 2020 NBA draft, and they selected the big man from Memphis, James Wiseman.
In an intense 2020 rookie draft class that included Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, Wiseman desires to be the best, but that isn't his only priority.
“I just want to focus on my development and get better each game which I am, but Rookie of the Year is most definitely one of the accolades I want to accomplish but I'm so focused on like the bigger picture like the long run, it really doesn't matter to me I just want to get better every day and just keep working hard on my game and keep perfecting my craft. So it's like 50-50. I mean, it does matter, but at the end of the day, it really don't,” James Wiseman told ClutchPoints.
Tons of pressure can come with being a top-five pick, especially when playing in a high-profile market. Nonetheless, playing with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and the 2015 rookie of the year winner Andrew Wiggins can help make it easier. In an interview, Wiggins shared his thoughts on what could help Wiseman win the award.
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“Just keep playing hard, playing smart, and keep wanting to get better,” Wiggins said. “He's around great guys, around Steph and Draymond, around legends. So he's going to learn a lot. It's a process. There's a lot of up and downs in that rookie season, but once you find yourself and become confident, the sky is going to be the limit for him. There's so much he can do and how raw he is — the stuff he does, he doesn't even know he's doing it. So when he figures it all out and becomes who he's supposed to be, he's going to be a superstar.”
James Wiseman has shown flashes of his dynamic abilities early in his rookie season, and you can see it growing every day. He was sidelined for a bit with an injured wrist, but he continued to learn from his teammates while also studying legendary big men.
As a rookie, finding your identity in the NBA is very important to a player's development. Wiseman understands that and shared with the media who he patterns his game after.
“Players, I pattern my game after i probably say Chris Bosh or Kevin Garnett, and I been watching a lot of David Robinson and Tim Duncan as well on the fundamental part of the game. Just like how Tim Duncan was able to be patient in the post and make sure he surveys the floor, then make a move just being exact with his moves and being a smart player. I study a lot of great bigs that came before me.”
James Wiseman is playing well right now and is expected to make a run for the award at the end of the season, but his main focus is trying to win games and to help the Warriors return to the playoffs.
