Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman sophomore season preview

It is redemption time for James Wiseman. The former No. 2 overall pick has much to prove with the Golden State Warriors and he is prepared to check every box on his way to an electric sophomore season.

James Wiseman is gearing up to put respect on his name. Here is a preview of what to expect in year two with the Golden State Warriors.

The only way forward is to learn from the past and become a better player. For Wiseman, this means a few different things. His rookie mistakes can be used to form a better sophomore campaign.

Improving as a defender

Wiseman does not lack any physicality on defense. He’s an athletic marvel at seven feet tall and has the capability to jump out of the gym. Yet, he left much to be desired in his rookie stint.

There are a few issues holding him back. First and foremost, Wiseman had a horrid block-to-foul ratio of 0.9 blocks and 3.1 fouls per game. Racking up half of your allotted fouls in just 21 minutes of playing time is a startling rate.

Much of this can be fixed with experience. Wiseman has to adapt to a faster game that demands more than ever from the big position. He’ll have to learn how to move his feet to the perimeter, as well as slide back into the paint to defend the rim without fouling.

For a player as gifted as Wiseman, it must be frustrating not to reject every shot that comes your way. This eagerness led to many of his fouls and will have to be tamed in order to help him succeed in year two.

Thankfully, Wiseman’s raw talents on this end of the floor are undeniable. With a little guidance, he will become an impactful rim protector. I’d expect to see glimmers of this throughout the 2021-22 season.

Finding his role offensively

Next and possibly more challenging for Wiseman will be finding his niche on offense. His job was a little more complicated than he expected as a rookie. Simplifying this and putting him in better positions for success will be key.

While Wiseman is a natural fit for pick-and-roll plays, the Warriors largely shied away from this style of basketball in favor of a more team-oriented game. This is a valiant decision from Steve Kerr but even he acknowledged the need to better match his personal — beginning to run more screen-and-roll with Wiseman and Stephen Curry towards the end of the year.

Though he was better in the second half of the season, Wiseman ranked in just the 49th percentile as a roll-man. Learning how to properly dive to the hoop and finish at the rim will make everyone more comfortable running these plays and give Wiseman a greater chance to dominate as a paint beast.

Other areas of improvement include just a general increase in his spatial awareness. The Warriors thrive off of orchestrated mayhem and Wiseman can make a killing by being in the dunker spot for timely dump passes from Curry and Draymond Green.

The last piece of the puzzle is expanding his range. Wiseman shot a respectable 12-38 (31.6) from the 3-point line as a rookie. This is a good starting point but he will have to be more efficient to gain respect from the defense.

Conclusion

Wiseman has the tools to succeed at his disposal. Most of his problems come from a lack of experience. Sadly, spending the summer sidelined with a meniscus tear did not help him get more runs under his belt.

Yet, Wiseman had a full year to be around the team and learn the ins and outs of the game from the bleachers, at least. With less focus on him as rookies like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody share the spotlight, Wiseman will have a better chance at being a contributor in his sophomore season.

The details are far from being mastered but Wiseman should feel optimistic heading into his second year. The pressure is still on but he is in a great position for redemption.