With the NBA Draft just days away, the anticipation as to who will go No. 1 overall is heating up. LaMelo Ball looks to be the most likely at this point, but Anthony Edwards has also been included in that conversation— even James Wiseman to an extent.
The Golden State Warriors are coming off a dreadful year and in return, they hold the number two overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson returning from injury this upcoming NBA season, it’s going to be important to strengthen their roster at one specific position if they want to contend: center.
James Wiseman is the answer
A lot of uncertainty still remains with Memphis big man James Wiseman, who played just three games for Penny Hardaway last year before being deemed ineligible. In that short span though, the 7 foot 1 center averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds while shooting 77 percent from the field. Sure, it was a small sample size, but he was utterly dominant.
If Wiseman played more games, there’s little doubt that he would be going number one overall. The 19-year old is a force on both ends of the court and although his experience may be limited, with development and the proper nurturing, Wiseman could be a very good player at the NBA level.
The Warriors are known for their ability to make shots from outside the perimeter. They’ve never really been a team that can dominate opponents around the hoop because they really don’t have an impactful force in the paint. Kevon Looney has been solid over the last couple of years, but there isn’t a whole lot of production out of him.
In Wiseman, Golden State would be getting an athletic and mobile big that has a wide array of talents. Not only is he a monster around the rim thanks to his 7 foot 5 wingspan, but he’s also able to put the ball on the court and create. In the small number of games Wiseman played at the collegiate level, he was unmatched in terms of physicality. He’s already extremely strong for his age, unlike a lot of big men who come into the NBA. Usually, they’ve yet to hit their physical maturity when they enter the league. It’s a whole different story with Wiseman. He’s listed at 230 pounds but see for yourself. He looks a lot bigger than that:
Advanced on the defensive end
Rookies usually tend to struggle defensively as they get used to the next level. I don’t see that being an issue with him either because he is already very advanced in this category. James Wiseman has shown the ability to switch and guard smaller perimeter players as well, a skill that youngsters tend to have a hard time with.
Sure, he wouldn’t be starting on a nightly basis for Steve Kerr, but Wiseman could easily play 20 minutes per game while learning the ropes from three outstanding players in Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green.
From a scoring standpoint, he would also give this team more production than any other big they currently have. Wiseman’s offensive game revolves around the hoop mostly, but on a shooting-heavy team like the Warriors, one would only think he would become a better shooter from mid-range and maybe, even from downtown on the rare occasion.
It’s almost unheard of to find a player over 7 feet who is this athletic at such a young age. Although it may be a work in progress for Golden State, this pick should be a no-brainer. With time, James Wiseman could be the next star in San Francisco in the coming years and one of the household names in the NBA.
