It's official, ladies and gentlemen. Golden State Warriors rookie center James Wiseman is on the board as a NBA big man. With Wiseman slamming it home to score his first regulation NBA points on Tuesday evening, the first-year center did so against the upstart Brooklyn Nets in the first game of the 2020-21 regular season.
Wiseman was notably selected by the Warriors with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Memphis, though his time at the collegiate level was quite brief. As a result, and due to the ongoing “coronavirus” pandemic, it has been awhile since Wiseman played some meaningful basketball, which no doubt made his first NBA bucket that much sweeter on Tuesday evening in Brooklyn.
The Warriors managed to secure a talented player like Wiseman at No. 2 overall after encountering a disappointing season in 2019-20. After winning five consecutive Western Conference titles and three NBA championships prior to 2019-20, the Warriors are looking to bounce back in a big way with some old and new faces slated to take the court for Golden State this time round.
It is worth noting that both shooting guard Klay Thompson and power forward Draymond Green are currently injured, which could increase Wiseman's workload early on as former two-time league MVP and longtime Warriors point guard Stephen Curry runs the show.
The Warriors need to find role players who can play adequate defense, particularly on the wings. They will need Andrew Wiggins to take noticeable forward steps in his development after conspicuously failing to realize his potential with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wiggins, a former No. 1 overall pick, had a very high ceiling coming out of the University of Kansas, but that potential has never truly materialized. The hope harbored by the Warriors is that playing with Steph Curry and Draymond Green can put Wiggins in more of a position to succeed. The Draymond injury therefore will prevent that process from beginning in earnest on Tuesday against the Nets. The Dubs need their foremost players on the floor, so they can learn how to play together in the absence of Klay Thompson.