Golden State Warriors: 3 Takeaways from James Wiseman’s rookie season

1. Wiseman has to learn the basics

Okay, we’ve covered all of the positives from James Wiseman’s rookie season. It’s time now to break down why he struggled so much. Really, it all comes down to the fundamentals for Wiseman.

There’s a reason why, despite being the second overall pick, Wiseman played just the 15th most minutes per game of his class and started in only 27 games this season. The guy just couldn’t be trusted on the floor.

Wiseman was a mess defensively. Even though he posses elite athleticism and showed good reflexes and timing to block shots – he rejected fewer than 1 shot per game and was routinely out of position. Of course, moving his feet on the perimeter was a bit of a challenge as well.

This is nothing new for NBA rookies. It’s impossible to prepare for the speed of a professional game and Wiseman didn’t get much time in college to work on his skills – only playing three games in Memphis.

As for offense, Wiseman struggled here as well. He ranked in the lower half as a pick-and-roll man (In part to a low frequency) and was abysmal in the post – only finishing 40.7 percent of his attempts and placing in the 18th percentile.

As I said, most of this comes down to inexperience. It might seem simple to run a pick-and-roll, but until you do it a few hundred times, there are tiny details you just won’t understand. Luckily, Wiseman is playing next to some of the greatest players in league history and will have every opportunity to master the fundamentals.

The future is bright for Wiseman. Although his rookie season didn’t go to plan – the journey to becoming an elite big is only beggining.