Why Andrew Wiggins Is A Star Right Now

When Andrew Wiggins was in high school, many scouts had a vision of how special of a player he could be. The comparisons ranged from Tracy McGrady to LeBron James all the way to Michael Jordan.

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That kind of pressure for a kid to turn into this legendary all-time great could break a kid in half by the time he gets to college and the bright lights really start to shine on him.

However, Wiggins hasn’t folded by any means, and has only improved as he’s played against better competition.

At Kansas, Wiggins was seen as an excellent defensive talent because of his elite size and athleticism for his position, but many saw his offensive game as a work in progress. It wasn’t because he didn’t have any of the skills, but it was more because of his motor and the effort he showed on that end of the floor.

Too many times, Wiggins would just coast on offense and just disappear. Star players aren’t supposed to fade away like that, especially on offense. Stars are supposed to attack and have their presence felt at all times, something that Wiggins really had to show he could do in order to really be a talent at the next level.

Wiggins was drafted with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers anyway, but was later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that sent forward Kevin Love to Cleveland to join LeBron James.

As fun as it would’ve been to see Wiggins and James on the same team, I do think it’s a good thing that Wiggins plays for Minnesota because it takes a lot of pressure off of him to produce right away, and he can have his own team to work and grow with.

Had Wiggins stayed in Cleveland, he would’ve been taking a back seat to James and guard Kyrie Irving, two players that have proven themselves to be offensive stars. Wiggins would’ve been the third option, which would’ve given him too many opportunities to blend in and not really feel the need to assert himself.

Do I think the Cavs made the right move, however? No I don’t, because Wiggins has done enough to prove he’s an NBA star right now.

I said that Wiggins has improved his play the tougher the competition has gotten, and that’s true. Wiggins has had plenty more dominant games in the league compared to college.

Why is this so? For one, Wiggins did a lot of work to his jump shot before the NBA draft. His follow through and positioning of his feet are much improved, as he goes straight up on his shot now.

There aren’t any hitches or sideways movements in his jump shot, which is great because he has such a great vertical leap that as long as he can keep his shot straight and high, there really won’t be anyone that can block the shot in the air.

And speaking of his jump shot, he hasn’t been afraid to use it either. In fact, most of Wiggins’ baskets this season have come off of perimeter shots, not finishes at the rim, which is surprising given his impressive athleticism.

One would think an athlete with his speed and explosiveness would take advantage of it more often, but instead Wiggins plays within the flow of the offense, which is a more mature approach for his age and something that really impresses me.

Often times, too many young players try to put their games into overdrive and just attack the basket or force shots that they shouldn’t. Wiggins doesn’t do that as often as many other rookies do at this stage. Sure, not all of his shots are perfect, but that’s the same for veterans in this league as well. Wiggins has shown discipline on offense, not passiveness.

With Wiggins’ jump shot falling from everywhere on the floor, from the mid-range all the way out beyond the three-point line, that opens up his ability to get to the basket and play in transition. The court is wider in the NBA, meaning that he’s got a lot more room to run than he did at school.

Because of this, Wiggins is an absolute terror in transition, as he’s had his fair share of highlight finishes off the break.

Defensively, Wiggins has done a great job putting himself in the position to get more opportunities on the break.

His one-on-one defense skill set and mentality is very advanced for his age. He doesn’t want to just guard some shooter that primarily stands in the corner. Rather, he wants the opposing team’s best player, and he’s held his own guarding the likes of players such as Kevin Durant and James Harden.

In fact, he even had a magnificent block and run-out on Harden in which Wiggins looked like the superior player, which is remarkable given the fact that Harden is an MVP candidate on virtually everyone’s ballot.

Because of his superior physical talent, Wiggins is going to have edge on defense in most match-ups. Defense has never been a question for Wiggins. At the very least, most analysts projected that he would turn into one of the league’s best defenders.

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What Wiggins has done is shut up the critics that said he couldn’t do enough on offense. As long as he keeps tightening his ball-handling and passing skills, Wiggins is on the path to be one of the five best players the NBA will have to offer in a few years.

As for right now? Well, his per-game averages of 15.9 points and 4.3 rebounds aren’t eye-opening, but watching him play versus looking at box scores is a different story. Wiggins does so much for his team on both ends of the floor that puts them in position for success. To me, that’s what a star player is supposed to do, carry the team and make the players around him better.

Wiggins does that right now because of the attention he commands both offensively and defensively. He gives his teammates more opportunities to stand out while also getting his.

If you’re skeptical, just go back and watch the tape. Wiggins is a star right now, and he’s only going to get better.

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