Don’t expect Draymond Green to go easy on new Golden State Warriors draft pick James Wiseman.
The Warriors made Wiseman the No. 2 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. On Thursday, he said he had already heard from Green, who didn’t mince words when it came to telling Wiseman how much his draft status would matter.
Green isn’t necessarily wrong. He was a second-round pick who’s gotten a lot further in his career than some second overall picks have.
It’s worth noting that Green was publicly supportive of the Warriors drafting Wiseman. He isn’t coming at this from a place of skepticism. Green is a hard worker who’s obsessed with proving people wrong and earning the plaudits. That’s the attitude he wants from his teammates, too.
James Wiseman was drafted No. 2 overall by the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, and he received a nice welcome from the team’s star player.
Steph Curry shared a photo from 2018 of him together with Wiseman at Curry’s Select Camp.
“Hilarious picture from 2018 …welcome to the Bay and to #dubnation @bigticket_j13. Let’s get it!” Curry wrote.
Cole Anthony, Jalen Green, Nico Mannion and R.J. Hampton were some of the attendees of the camp that year. Wiseman ended up being a top recruit to Memphis but only played in three games due to NCAA eligibility issues.
As a big man, he should add a nice balance to the Warriors, who are stacked at the guard position.
Photo: Cyrus Saatsaz/Wikimedia via cc-by-sa 4.0
James Wiseman’s dream of playing in the NBA came true on Wednesday, and the big man was grateful.
Wiseman was selected No. 2 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was shown on TV at home celebrating with his family. Emotions overcame him and he was seen crying:
Wiseman is a 7-foot-1 big man out of Nashville, Tenn. He went to Memphis for college but had eligibility issues and only played in three games, averaging 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.
Wiseman was believed to be on the top of the Warriors’ draft board and saw himself as a good fit for the team. As a big man, he balances out the Warriors, who had a need there. The only issue for Golden State now is the status of one of their star players.
James Wiseman has No. 1 overall pick-caliber talent, but apparently he does not actually want to go with the No. 1 overall pick.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst appeared this week on “The Scoop w/ Doogie.” In the episode, Windhorst said Wiseman does not want to go to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 selection in next month’s draft.
“Wiseman does not want to come to Minnesota because Karl Towns is there,” said Windhorst. “From what I understand, Wiseman doesn’t even want to do anything with the Wolves.”
The 7-foot-1 Wiseman is an old-school low-post big man. As such, he would indeed likely be relegated to a bench position in Minnesota behind Towns, a two-time All-Star and a supermax player for the Wolves.
Wiseman does seem to have a preferred destination in mind instead. In any case, the Wolves might be better off drafting a wing like Anthony Edwards anyway with Towns and D’Angelo Russell already in tow.
H/T NBA Reddit
The Golden State Warriors had the worst record in the NBA this season, and the potential No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft sees a good match there.
Appearing Tuesday on ESPN’s “The Jump,” former Memphis center James Wiseman addressed his possible fit in Golden State with veteran stars like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
“I feel that’s a great fit,” he said. “I feel that playing with veteran players like that, I can be able to develop my game quickly. But I can also just learn from them because they’ve been in the league for a couple years, for a really long time. So just me being under their wings, that would be great.
The 19-year-old Wiseman, who averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in his brief college career, is more of a classic back-to-the-basket seven-footer. The Warriors have pioneered up-tempo small-ball over the last several years however, so some are skeptical of the potential fit.
That said, one Golden State star would love to see Wiseman join the team, and even regardless of fit, Wiseman has a strong case for being the best player available in the draft.
The Golden State Warriors will have a high draft pick this year, giving them the opportunity to add high-end talent to the existing championship core. Draymond Green seems to have a pretty clear idea of which player he’d like to see the Warriors take, if possible.
Green singled out Memphis center James Wiseman as a good fit for the team’s style of play, citing speed and athleticism as key factors.
“I’ve seen some clips of his workouts and highlights, and he looks to be pretty mobile, a pretty athletic guy,” Green said on ESPN’s “Jalen and Jacoby,” via Jaylon Thompson of 247 Sports. “So, with our speed and pace, the way we play, I think he would definitely be a great add if that’s case, but I don’t really know what pick we’re going to get or what pick he’s going to go. I’m a living testament to that. You never know how the draft is going to go and how the cards may fall.”
There’s a lot to like about Wiseman. There are also questions about his offensive game and his ability to shoot from midrange and beyond or create his own offense. On one hand, that might not fit with the Warriors and their preference for spacing, but there are few teams who could help him learn and adapt to that style better.
Regardless of Green’s wishes, it sounds like Golden State may have its eyes on someone else if they land the draft’s top pick.
The Golden State Warriors are one of the more intriguing teams of the offseason. Thanks to their poor 2019-20 season, they’re set to have a very high draft pick and a strong core returning next year, potentially setting them up for a quick turnaround. That leaves the question of who they will pick with that draft selection.
A source told Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report that center James Wiseman tops the Warriors’ draft board. The former Memphis center would add size to a roster that is seriously lacking in it, even if he may not be a perfect fit for the style of play the team favors.
While some executives are skeptical that Wiseman has elite potential in the context of the game’s best big men, he would not need to be a starring option on this Warriors team, potentially limiting expectations.
Earlier reports had the Warriors as being not particularly interested in Wiseman. Perhaps that’s changed. Either way, how the Warriors use their draft pick — wherever it may fall — will be one of the bigger storylines of the offseason.
The Golden State Warriors are in the unique position of likely landing a top draft pick to add to their talented core. It sounds like they’re going to be very picky about what they do with it.
According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Warriors “aren’t believed to be high” on guard LaMelo Ball or center James Wiseman. These two players are regarded as two of the three best in the draft, but it sounds like the Warriors do not agree. In fact, Letourneau notes that the Warriors are believed to be higher on Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton than they are on Ball.
The Warriors would be open to trading the No. 1 pick if they land it, but would likely use it on Anthony Edwards if they keep it. If they fall elsewhere within the top five, they could focus on Israeli EuroLeague star Deni Avdija.
Golden State should have a strong core coming back healthy in 2020-21, and they’ll have the chance to add a top player to it. Their reluctance to take one of the consensus top players is interesting, but clearly an indication that they have a view of what they want and who can provide it. Maybe they have the same concerns about Ball as some other teams do.
James Wiseman has been putting in work during his time away from college basketball.
Wiseman originally was set to play for Memphis this season, but after eligibility issues with the NCAA, he decided to withdraw from school in December and begin preparing for the NBA Draft. He definitely has been training, and he showed proof on Thursday.
Wiseman shared a before and after photo from the start of his training and where he is now. He says he’s put on seven pounds in 56 days and is up to 251 pounds.
The lighting sure helps, but Wiseman does look bigger and more muscular around his upper body.
Wiseman is 7-foot-1 and played in three games for Memphis. He averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game for the Tigers.
Wiseman is expected to be a top-five pick.
If there was any doubt about James Wiseman’s college future, it was settled on Friday.
Wiseman, the Memphis freshman who is expected to be a top NBA draft pick, has officially signed with Excel Sports for his NBA representation. This officially wipes out his NCAA eligibility.
This was the next logical step after Wiseman withdrew from Memphis just over a week ago. He doesn’t appear to have any plans to temporarily play overseas, and is just going to focus on being as ready as possible for the June draft. It’s risky, but teams are already well aware of him and what he can bring.
Wiseman’s eligibility had already been in question over money he received from coach Penny Hardaway to move to Memphis. He won’t face any further consequences as a result of that, but the school may well be paying for their decision to play Wiseman with questions about his eligibility for some time to come.
