Steve Kerr tempers expectations for James Wiseman, unsure of status for opener

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr reportedly doesn’t want NBA fans and the media to expect too much from rookie center James Wiseman.

According to ESPN’s Nick Friedell, Kerr is quite fond of the Warriors’ newest recruit but would like to make sure that everyone sees him as a work in progress.

Kerr really seems to like what he’s seeing from Wiseman — but Warriors continue to try and soften expectations for his eventual return.

“He’s the equivalent of a sophomore in college who red-shirted his first year.”
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) December 16, 2020

Though Kerr would rather not place too much of a burden on the 19-year old, James Wiseman’s talent is undeniable, and adding him to the Warriors’ All-Star cast should bolster their bid to return to championship-contender status.

James Wiseman is out indefinitely

The Golden State Warriors’ center of the future remains under wraps as the organization has kept James Wiseman from being available to play.

Kerr says that Wiseman and Draymond will remain out of Thursday’s preseason finale vs. Kings. Kerr says they’re both coming along well — and the Warriors will have a full scrimmage again on Saturday — but it remains unclear if they’ll be available for next week’s opener vs. Nets.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) December 16, 2020

Wiseman’s indefinite status has fans itching for the chance to see what the fuss is all about. The second overall pick of last month’s draft is a legit 7-foot-1, and the expectations over his potential are sky-high.

Kerr has kept Wiseman out of the Golden State Warriors’ preseason games so far, preferring instead to play Kevon Looney and Marquese Chriss at the center spot.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green love what they have seen from James Wiseman so far

Golden State Warriors v Sacramento Kings

After seeing James Wiseman in practice following the Golden State Warriors’ preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, Stephen Curry was asked about his impressions of the rookie center.

Curry told reporters:

"Extremely high ceiling. Excited for him to get some reps and be in a game-like situation. His energy (in practice) was crazy. It was like letting a puppy out the cage."

Similarly, Draymond Green was quite impressed with Wiseman’s performance in practice. He said:

"I thought James was all over the place today, which was great to see. His energy was through the roof which took him out of positions at times, which I love to see because you can teach positioning, but you can't teach high energy. He had great energy today ... asking a ton of questions, which I always think is great. It seems to me he's going to be a sponge -- he asks a bunch of questions."

Given these observations from two of the Warriors’ top players, it’s clear that James Wiseman is going to be a player to watch out for this coming season. He will have all eyes on him when he plays his first professional game.