Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors was the first overall draft pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and was seen as the next big thing in basketball.
But things in the big leagues haven’t been as smooth as Wiggins had hoped, partly because no team has really known how to use him.
The 6-foot-7 small forward is lanky, athletic, and built to defend…but his previous time with the Minnesota Timberwolves saw him as mostly a defensive unit.
The results for Wiggins were decidedly mixed and while he was always creating points and always playing good basketball, he was never living up to his full potential.
That all changed when he came to the Steve Kerr’s Warriors.
Now playing for one of the best teams in the NBA, Wiggins is finally shining like the star he always has been.
A Two-Way Force
Wiggins is having one of his best seasons ever.
Right now, he is averaging 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists a game.
Comparing those numbers to previous seasons would suggest that Wiggins is doing about the same as he always did.
But that’s not taking into consideration just how he is making these points.
In his previous seasons with the Timberwolves, Wiggins was known for taking midrange shots, many of which never made their target.
However, under Kerr’s supervision, Wiggins has changed up his game and the number of shots coming from midrange has changed drastically and Wiggins is all the better for it.
Instead of the one making shots, sometimes far from the basket, Wiggins has accepted his role as part of Stephen Curry‘s squad and is going with the flow and movement of Curry’s lead.
Although make no mistake, the guy can still sink a killer three.
1/3/22
Andrew Wiggins vs Heat (34 min)22 points (8-13 FG) (2 3’s) (4-4 FT)
6 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals pic.twitter.com/PgfdHEXUyZ— Jayhawks In The NBA (@NBA_Jayhawks) January 11, 2022
The fact that Wiggins is no longer seen as the top scorer on his team has helped him out a lot.
He is greatly adapting to his role alongside Curry and the rest of the Warriors lineup.
And his defense has improved greatly too.
Watching Wiggins defend is like night and day from the seasons that came before.
He is now a wonderful, reliable perimeter defender.
Just What The Warriors Need
When the Warriors traded for Wiggins, they did so because they knew they had enough shooters on their team.
That’s no surprise considering they literally have the best shooter alive.
What the Warriors needed was someone who could take shots but was also a physically intimidating presence on defense.
They needed another wing defender and they knew they could turn Wiggins into just that.
He had the size, he had the skill, he just needed the practice.
It’s the best time to begin 2022! He is one of the best two-way players!
Wiggs deserves to be an All-Star, vote Andrew Wiggins into the 2022 NBA All-Star Game..and I can’t wait to meet you all very soon#AndrewWiggins #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/bpOXKAJ920— BamBam🦢 (@BamBam1A) January 8, 2022
As he’s adapted to his new role, Wiggins has flourished and was one of the best players on the team for the first part of the season as Golden State awaited Klay Thompson‘s return.
And he shows no sign of slowing down now that Thompson is back – if anything, his abilities might only grow as the team has now added another one of the best shooters in the league, allowing Wiggins to shore up his defensive skills even more.
Wiggins is now a two-way force on the floor and one of the highlights of the Warriors.
NEXT: Grading Klay Thompson's Return To The Warriors
