Andrew Wiggins won’t get a more perfect opportunity to finally prove himself than with the Golden State Warriors this season.
For years, Andrew Wiggins has played somewhere under his sky-high expectations as a No. 1 overall pick – but just above what you would expect from a role player. He has been in between stardom and bust territory for quite some time. But, his time with the Golden State Warriors will force his career down a specific path.
There is no more room for mediocrity in Golden State. The Warriors will be holding Wiggins to high standards, and failure to live up to those standards will result in an unrepairable hit to his reputation.
See, Wiggins hasn’t been bad thus far in his career. He is averaging a cool 19.7 points on decent efficiency, but he has never been conducive to winning. His impact feels weightless and the improvements to his game have been minimal.
Yet, fans are gearing up for what could be the biggest moment in Wiggins’ legacy. He has no excuse for a lack of enthusiasm now that he is on a borderline contender in Golden State. He has all of the help he needs to thrive – and if there was ever a time for him to blossom into an elite shot creator, it’s now.
Wiggins won’t be asked to carry the offensive load by himself. He is going to be a beneficiary of playing alongside two of the greatest playmakers of all-time at their positions (Stephen Curry and Draymond Green). The opportunities for Wiggins to score will be endless.
On defense, he simply has to utilize his physical gifts to be a somewhat reliable perimeter threat. Talents like James Wiseman and Green will anchor the paint, Wiggins just needs to do the bare minimum to succeed on his end.
Of course, if Wiggins is unable to be a productive contributor this season – then we will know where he stands in the ranks of NBA history. Being one of the most hyped top picks of all-time comes with a long list of expectations. It’s now or never for Wiggins to live up to that pre-draft buzz.