2020 NBA draft profile: Memphis center James Wiseman

James Wiseman weaknesses

As with many supremely athletic, young big men, Wiseman’s development is informed in large part by his past competition. Like an offensive lineman who pushes smaller linemen around in high school, Wiseman has always been able to rely on his physical gifts to dominate lesser competition. Because of that, he has obvious holes in his game at this stage in his career.

Poor shot selection is probably the largest concern with the talented center. For a guy who should be able to dominate the paint against the best of competition, he has shown an inclination to roam around and shoot lower-percentage shots than necessary. He’s been efficient in spite of those tendencies, but it won’t likely continue in the big leagues.

Wiseman hasn’t developed his dribbling in the passing game either, in large part because it’s never been a need. Nonetheless, it remains a hole in his game that needs to be patched to unlock his potential.

Defensively, his physical tools alone should make him a breakeven defender, but his awareness and decision-making on that end are also lacking. He’s slow to identify plays, which has limited his impact in both the pick-and-roll and as a rim protector. His desire to block shots also causes him to leave his feet too easily, leaving the paint vulnerable to easy buckets.