The Golden State Warriors left Tokyo with two wins over the Washington Wizards, but the most significant takeaway from their preseason trip to Japan wasn't about team success.
James Wiseman played some of the best basketball of his young career overseas, shining brightest in the defending champions' exhibition debut. He had 20 points and nine rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting in the Warriors' 96-87 victory last Thursday, putting the imposing size, explosive athleticism and nascent skill that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft on full display.
Making Wiseman's performance even more impressive? It came in the 21-year-old's first game action versus real NBA competition since suffering a torn right meniscus late 2020-21 rookie season .
The thunderous dunks and impressive touch aren't what impressed Draymond Green most about Wiseman's play in Tokyo, though.
On the latest episode of his eponymous podcast, Golden State's defensive anchor explained why Wiseman's commitment to communicating on defense against Washington is such an encouraging development as his pivotal third season in the league dawns.
“James Wiseman has been watching a ton of film,” Green said. “He's been taking a lot of things in as he's gone through his rehab process. And it's showed. It did not show from the dunk. It did not show from the 20 [points] and nine [rebounds], it showed from his communication on the defensive side of the ball. And that's going to be a very big thing for him to continue to get minutes, to help this team.”
Those comments echo the priorities Steve Kerr laid out for Wiseman's growth shortly before Golden State tipped off training camp. Kevon Looney is entrenched as a starter after making a palpable impact during the Warriors' title run, but there's a role for Wiseman to play in the Bay regardless: Finishing high-flying lob passes, sprinting the floor to create easy transition opportunities and intimidating foes around the rim defensively.
If Wiseman embraces the little things—like talking on defense as a back-line rim-protector— that have helped turn Looney into a Golden State fixture? Green sees no reason why he can't be an impact player off the bench as Golden State defends its title.
“A healthy James Wiseman, a communicative James Wiseman, a James Wiseman who is using his God-given abilities that he has, only helps this team win another championship,” he said.
Raw talent won't be what keeps Wiseman off the floor in 2022-23. His evolution into a reliable contributor this season will inevitably be met with starts and stops, but early returns show a young player who's clearly improved, with a focus on the minutiae it takes to earn minutes for a team like the Warriors.
[The Draymond Green Show] [h/t Tom Dierberger, NBC Sports Bay Area]
Follow Us
Subscribe