"What I do know is James Wiseman has been watching a ton of film ... And it showed" – Draymond Green believes James Wiseman is confident in his role, praises his energy and communication efforts for the team
James Wiseman had a tough rookie season. Wiseman suffered a torn meniscus after the league returned from the 2021 All-Star break. While the hope was that Wiseman would be able to return the following season, he suffered a significant setback that sidelined him last season. Wiseman has missed a year and a half. However, teammate Draymond Green knows he's doing the right things.
Green is confident that Wiseman will be able to assimilate back into the Warriors lineup. Wiseman has spent a significant amount of time watching game film. Green is confident that Wiseman will be able to build on the success of this preseason. On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green said:
"What I do know is James Wiseman has been watching a ton of film. He's been taking a lot of things in, and it showed. And like I said, it did not show from the dunk, it did not show from the 20 and 9, it showed from his communication on the defensive side of the ball."
As Green mentioned, Wiseman had a spectacular showing in the team's first preseason game. Despite the lengthy layoff, Wiseman hit the ground running, scoring 20 points with nine rebounds in just 24 minutes.
Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in his first season. The Warriors hope he can provide a presence in the paint and finish the pick and roll with Steph Curry. If healthy, his size and athleticism will benefit the reigning champs.
James Wiseman's Highly Anticipated Return
Wiseman's return is highly anticipated. Before the 2020 NBA draft, Wiseman had long been touted as one of the top prospects in the nation. However, minor injuries have continued to play a role in Wiseman's career. Before the NBA draft, Wiseman suffered a shoulder injury and an ankle injury that kept him out of two exhibition games.
In college, Wiseman was declared ineligible to play due to a conflict of interest when joining the University of Memphis. It was revealed that Wiseman's former high school coach Penny Hardaway had paid over $10,000 to help Wiseman and his family relocate to Memphis. After being declared ineligible and serving a 12-game suspension, Wiseman announced his intentions to join the draft pool.
With his rookie year being cut short by injuries, Wiseman looks to complete an entire season.