NBA Draft: Re-drafting the 2014 NBA Draft’s first round

2014 NBA Redraft: 22. Elfrid Payton, Memphis Grizzlies

Had Joel Embiid been healthy, Andrew Wiggins would not have been the No. 1 overall pick. That’s part of the issue when discussing a guy burdened by such tremendous expectations and pressure at an early age.

Even so, the Canadian prospect was projected to fall no lower than third. Many believed his athleticism would translate to both ends of the court, enough to anoint him the next NBA superstar and a possible MVP. Wiggins hasn’t been a bust like so many other top draft picks both before and after him, but to say he’s come close to reaching the hype is a massive overstatement.

A career 19.4 point per game scorer, Wiggins has managed to put up buckets with relative ease since entering the league. The only issue is that’s just about all he does. His efficiency leaves room for improvement, having shot a career worst from the field this past season and just 33.9 percent from downtown on a career-high 4.8 attempts per game.

For someone as athletically gifted as he is, the former Kansas Jayhawk gives little effort defensively and grabs less than five rebounds a game. Nobody’s asking him to facilitate Minnesota’s offense, but the presence of the ball in his hands clouds his vision to the point of no return. He has only 28 games with at least five assists in his career, averaging just 2.2 a game over that same time span.

Wiggins is still just 24 years of age, having yet to even reach his prime. There clearly was a reason so many were hyped about his potential coming out of college. It’ll be up to him to decide how great he wants to be moving forward.

If he diversifies his game and gives a more consistent effort, there’s no reason Wiggins still can’t become one of the best wings in the league. If he’s content to remain at this mediocre level, his next contract won’t look as lucrative as the nearly $150 million deal he signed in the summer of 2017.