When the Golden State Warriors decided to bring Andrew Wiggins into the fold after the departure of Kevin Durant in 2020, many sports analysts marked it as the end of the Warriors dynasty.
The former #1 pick in 2014 had a disappointing start to his career in Minnesota. A mixture of inconsistent play, horrendous coaching, and unrealistic expectations surrounding the franchise led to him being labeled one of the league’s all-time busts.
Wiggins has changed that narrative in his third season with the Dubs, proving he can be a two-way player on a championship contender. Wiggins has arguably been the Warriors’ best player throughout the postseason. In his first 14 playoff games, Wiggins is averaging 14 points per game on 47% shooting, 6 rebounds, 1 block, and 0.8 steals per game. That’s not to mention that Wiggins has been hot from beyond the arc, converting 41.5% of his 3PT attempts.
The Warriors have also asked Wiggins to fill Klay Thompson’s previous role of defending the opposing team’s best guard, including NBA’s Most Improved Player Ja Morant and MVP candidate Luka Doncic.
Wiggins is proving he is a problem on both ends of the floor, and his recent play has First Things First Host Nick Wright regretting calling Andrew Wiggins a “bad basketball player.”
Wiggins has been called a bust, overpaid, and inconsistent throughout his career. Questions about his ability to be a vital piece on a championship roster have surrounded him for 8 seasons. And now, as the lights begin to get brighter, he continues to shine.
Suppose the Warriors want to be the last team standing in June. In that case, Andrew Wiggins will have to keep attacking mismatches, make intelligent basketball plays, and bring the intensity on the defensive end.
The Warriors now have a commanding 3-0 series lead against the Dallas Mavericks and can punch their ticket to the NBA Finals with a win on Tuesday in Dallas.
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