Jason Whitlock on Andrew Wiggins: Canadian athletes ‘don’t want it as much’
The Cleveland Cavaliers seem like they have decided that they would rather pair Kevin Love with LeBron James and hope for instant results instead of developing rookie sensation Andrew Wiggins. The Cavs have reportedly agreed to include Wiggins in any potential trade for Love. Does that have anything to do with Wiggins’ nationality? Jason Whitlock seems to think so.
During his chat with Keith Olbermann on Monday night, Whitlock cited the fact that Wiggins is Canadian as one reason the Cavs should trade him for Love.
“I think that smart basketball people, and I don’t want to attach this to LeBron and his camp — Andrew Wiggins is from Canada,” the ESPN columnist said. “Canadian athletes, I think, among NBA players and NBA people, perhaps don’t want it as much as even some of the European and certainly the American players.”
In other words, the Cavs should take ethnic stereotypes into consideration when pondering Wiggins’ future. Olbermann later reminded Whitlock that Wiggins is only half Canadian and that his father is an American who played in the NBA.
“Andrew Wiggins’ effort and intensity was sometimes inconsistent at Kansas,” Whitlock said. “That may be a personality quirk that he will deal with throughout his entire career and that’s why I think (Cleveland) would probably prefer to play with Kevin Love.”
If Whitlock believes Wiggins lacks a “motor,” that’s fine. He’s entitled to his own opinion and assessment of the player. But if he thinks the Cavs should trade Wiggins in part because he is from Canada, that’s probably something Whitlock is best keeping to himself. Then again, this is the same guy who made an Asian penis joke about Jeremy Lin.
Video via SB Nation
