“It didn’t matter who they put me on, whether it was Ja, Luka” - Andrew Wiggins says he wanted to put his stamp defensively, says with Steph Curry the Warriors had a lot going on offensively
When Andrew Wiggins first made his way to the Golden State Warriors, many were curious about how he was going to fit in. During his time in Minnesota, he showed the potential to be a high-scoring forward. However, he made his mark with his new team on the other side of the ball.
Tremendous effort from Andrew Wiggins, who continues to show some real fire on defense this year https://t.co/HoWa16p1AU
Along with being named an All-Star last season, Wiggins proved to be a key piece for the Warriors during their championship run. In the postseason, he averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The No. 1 pick in 2014 also managed to rack up one steal and block per game.
During an interview with Vince Carter on "The VC Show," Wiggins opened up on embracing a different role for Golden State. With players like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole, they had all the offensive firepower they needed. Knowing this, he decided to dedicate his energy to being a defensive stopper at the wing position.
"I can play defense, you know, so I took that seriously. It didn't matter who they put me on, whether it was Ja (Morant), Luka (Doncic), (Jayson) Tatum ... It didn't matter. My mindset was the same."
"our team is talented, you know. Everyone's going to get a lot of touches. Obviously, we got Steph. ... We got a lot of stuff going on offensively, but defensively is somewhere where I thought I could put my stamp on."
Andrew Wiggins changed the trajectory of his career with the Golden State Warriors
When Andrew Wiggins debuted with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was viewed as someone who could be one of the NBA's next big things. While he saw some success, it didn't live up to the initial hype. Because of this, the narrative around him began to change.
Many began to wonder if the 27-year-old could be a winning player in the league, but he proved that with Golden State. Winding up on the Warriors helped, but there is no denying that he played a part in the team's success.
"I'm impressed, I'm not surprised."
Steve Kerr on Andrew Wiggins' impact and role on defense.
Game 3: Wed. 9pm/et on ABC https://t.co/yz60fhnoKc
Quotes like these are proof that Wiggins understands how to elevate a team. Instead of getting caught up in his offensive looks changing, he took a step back and saw the bigger picture. Due to this willingness to embrace a new role, the Warriors were able to address a key area of need.
It takes a true professional to put his team's needs above his own, and Wiggins should be applauded for his work with Golden State this past postseason.