James Wiseman finally made his summer league debut following 15 months out of the NBA with a knee injury following three G League games last March.
Wiseman appeared in four summer league games, averaging 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and two blocks in 19.9 minutes per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range.
Further reading:Possibilities to shine once more belong to James Wiseman’s long-awaited
This is a very good return performance, but there is a problem that is difficult to ignore.
At 7 feet, 240 pounds, Wiseman looks leaner than last time, but he is not rebounding as expected. Rebounding and paint defense are the main goals for the Warriors, and if he is not effective even on summer league rebounds Domination, there will be a question mark for the warriors.
After completing the initial comeback, Wiseman received encouragement from the two team’s big brothers, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both sent him messages, “Steph said it was good to see me back on the court, and Draymond made some suggestions. I have to pay attention.” It is worth mentioning that Green said in his podcast that Wiseman’s rebounding should not be like that, especially the first two rebounds: “I don’t think there should be any excuse for this, I can’t accept him. Only grabbed two rebounds a game.”
As the Warriors advanced to six championships and won four under the dual leadership of Curry and Green’s “Green Curry,” Wiseman received a message from the two big brothers, including encouragement and clear direction for the future.
“I heard Draymond’s podcast at dinner and I thought, he’s fucked up, looks like I’m going to have to grab 7-10 rebounds a game,” Wiseman said. , we must remain aggressive, keep pushing and colliding, and we must listen to what Big Brother says.”
In the next summer league game, Wiseman grabbed 7, 7, and 6 rebounds respectively, which is quite good for regarding 20 minutes on the court, not to mention that he returned to the court following a 5-month absence. On top of that, Wiseman’s long-standing knee injury is nothing to worry regarding during the game.
In addition to relatively simple defensive rebounds, Wiseman’s enthusiasm and dedication to offensive rebounds is also amazing, and he is very active in helping his team to increase offensive opportunities.
Green and Warriors summer league head coach Jama Mahlalela (who is rumored to be replacing Mike Brown’s assistant coach) both talked regarding the importance of timing and rhythm to grab the rebound, which is the most inexperienced Wiseman currently lacks.
Mahlalela also bluntly stated that the team will be very concerned regarding the performance and state of Wiseman’s summer league and training camp, “There is no doubt that James Wiseman’s first priority in the new season is defense, first must grab rebounds, and then interfere with the opponent’s basket. The next step is to be a good rim protector,” Mahlalela said. “Rebounding and defense are the two things we value him most, and they are what the Warriors need. And the offense will naturally come naturally with the improvement of defense, not just James. , we evaluate many young players by this indicator.”
For players, especially the highly anticipated young talents, it is very difficult and strange to do a good job in rebounding and defending without thinking regarding scoring, especially Wiseman has offensive talent, and attacking was also a draft pick at that time. The main reason for the unicorn level is that he can hold the ball and dribble, and also has the ability to open space on the outside, not to mention the basic elements of restricted area combat and athletic warfare.
The Warriors won’t put too much pressure on Wiseman, who’s just past legal drinking age, for now. The Warriors have one of the best team defenses in the league in 2021-22. Although there are fewer goalkeeper-level players in the paint, they still rely on a team of 6-foot-6 Green, 6-foot-8 Andrew Wiggins and 6-foot-9 Kevon Looney. The defensive line, the second-best defensive efficiency combination in the NBA in points allowed per 100 possessions.
The Warriors also made a lot of gains in the offseason. They brought in two high-quality players, Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green, to improve the overall defense once more. If a 7-footer can join in to scare resistance, it will make the Warriors’ defense once once more. upgrade. In the summer league, Wiseman also averaged 2 blocks per game. His blocking instinct on the weak side and his vertical jump are amazing.
In addition, Wiseman is happy to accept assignments from the coaching staff. Of course, following the Warriors won the championship, the main force of the team remains the same, so Wiseman must start with a limited role. “I keep training my skills such as jumping, rim protection and rebounding.” Wiseman said in an interview at the Summer League, “I don’t worry regarding my scoring, it happens naturally. But I really want to hone the functions that need to be in the NBA, even the nuances.”
