Golden State Warriors: 4 role players who can push them over the top
By Jenny Lu
3. James Wiseman
James Wiseman is a rookie out of the University of Memphis who was drafted by the Golden State Warriors as the second-overall pick. Having started all seven games so far, Wiseman has been thrown immediately onto the battlefield. He fits well into the starting lineup at the five for the team so we can expect him to stay there.
He shows an incredible level of comfort for a rookie and has been producing well on the floor. Wiseman has been averaging 11.7 points, 6.5 total rebounds – though the majority on the defensive end, and an impressive 1.7 blocks. When he does shoot from behind the arc, Wiseman makes a great 45.5 percent of his threes. He has a field goal percentage of 44.8 percent which needs to improve, but he has shown that he does great with driving to the basket.
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Another thing we can hopefully look forward to is more time on the court as Wiseman has only been averaging 22.3 minutes so far. We will likely see that number go up as he builds confidence and gets used to being a starter on a professional level of basketball.
On the courtside, we have caught glimpses of Draymond Green giving talks to Wiseman. He has even told NBC Sports that being a leader to Wiseman has been “an honor and privilege.” The willingness to learn and grow is one of the most important traits to look for in a rookie, especially one who will be a major component of the Warriors’ defense this season. If he can consistently produce rebounds on both ends of the floor and keep his remarkable blocking numbers, Wiseman may have a shot at being Rookie of the Year.