Reason for Andrew Wiggins’ absence revealed

February 23, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (22) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Wiggins has missed the Golden State Warriors’ last 22 games as he tends to a family matter, and we now know a bit more about what has been going on with the star point guard.

Wiggins is expected to return to the Bay Area this week and will be in attendance for Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The reason Wiggins has been away from the Warriors for several weeks is that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, is dealing with a serious health issue.

Golden State's Andrew Wiggins plans to attend Warriors-Thunder on Tuesday. The reason for Wiggins' leave of absence since mid-February is that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious medical situation, sources close to the situation say. 🙏🏽

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2023

It is unclear when Wiggins will play again. The Warriors have three games remaining and are fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament. They entered Monday in sixth in the Western Conference with just a half-game lead over both the No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers and No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans.

Steve Kerr said recently that Wiggins has been working out every day while away from the team. The 28-year-old will be evaluated by Golden State’s training and medical staff when he returns, as he also missed time injuries earlier in the season.

Wiggins, who signed a four-year, $109 million extension with the Warriors last offseason, is averaging 17.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He played a huge role in the playoffs last year, especially during Golden State’s NBA Finals win over the Boston Celtics.