3 takeaways from James Wiseman's comeback for Golden State Warriors | NBA Summer League 2022
James Wiseman returned for the Golden State Warriors for a summer league game against the San Antonio Spurs last night.
The Warriors narrowly clutched victory, with Jonathan Kuminga making the winning shot on a free-throw attempt on an otherwise poor outing. Kuminga scored a game-high 28 points. He shot 45.5% from the field, sinking just one of his seven three-point shot attempts.
Wiseman tallied 11 points, two rebounds, and two blocks in 20 minutes of play, shooting 71% from the field and knocking down his only three-point attempt. Wiseman suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and played his first game since April 2021.
After the game, Wiseman spoke on his return and his journey back to the court:
“It’s a great moment, I’ve been through a lot of hard times as a person, just as a human being. But to see everybody rooting for me and uplifting me, that’s a great feeling.”
Wiseman received an ovation upon returning to the locker room after a hard-fought game. Warriors assistant Jama Mahlalela spoke on the significance of Wiseman's return and his teammates' reactions:
"The players, they know the journey he’s been on. For him to be able to come out and play a Summer League game like today — with big composure and playing at the rim, blocking some shots, just to look like a real good basketball player. That first run was all we wanted.”
Wiseman looked impressive on both ends of the floor. Should the Warriors utilize him in a significantly higher minute rotation, here are three things that Wiseman can bring to the table in the 2022-23 NBA season.
1. Defense, both inside and out
Wiseman seems to have consolidated the rim-protection. It comes naturally with a 7-foot center, with some perimeter prowess in the time he has spent outside of the game.
Coming off a torn meniscus, Wiseman displayed excellent athleticism. He defended and contested shots on the perimeter despite staying in drop-coverage for the majority of the game.
Wiseman's decision-making looked polished, suiting the timing on his blocks well. The Warriors' lack of size has been an issue on occasions. Having an elite rim-protector of Wiseman's ilk is nothing short of a blessing.
2. Another shooting threat for the Golden State Warriors?
The sample size is not significant enough to make any conclusive arguments at this point. But Wiseman did show-off his jumper, both in the post and from three-point range.
He shot a single three-point shot that rattled in. He made four out of his other six field-goal attempts, one of which was this fadeaway jumper from about 18 feet.
James Wiseman continues to show off his game https://t.co/lDjnVkKpFs
Most matchups for Wiseman will be mismatched if the big switches off of him. His ability to knock down such shots augurs well for the Golden State Warriors going forward.
A Stephen Curry-James Wiseman pick-and-roll can just as easily turn into a pick-and-pop, with Curry drawing the attention of the majority of the defense. Off the dribble, Wiseman knocked down this three-point shot early in the game last night:
James Wiseman creating his own 3!!!! https://t.co/ITEWa51AAr
Wiseman's willingness to play with his back to the basket is incredibly promising for the defending champions.
3. Rebounding issues
It would be unfair to react disproportionately to Wiseman's two rebounds in 20 minutes last night. On certain plays, an unwillingness to box out, especially on offensive rebounds was of note.
As a team that rebounds well above what they should at their size, Wiseman's prowess with rebounds and putbacks remains unseen.
Apart from the aforementioned takeaways, Wiseman turned the ball over a few times in traffic, and had a game-high seven personal fouls in just 20 minutes.