Despite being the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman has been a relative disappointment so far in his pro career.
But he has looked fairly good so far in the NBA Summer League, and he is looking to prove that he will succeed after all in the big leagues.
On Sunday, he hit from long-range in the Detroit Pistons‘ 113-101 loss to the Houston Rockets, and he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes.
James Wiseman for three 🎯
Watch the #NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/ouLRoEb5sm
— NBA (@NBA) July 9, 2023
Wiseman, a 7-foot, 240-pound center, spent his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors, and it was thought that he, along with Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Jordan Poole would extend the team’s dynasty.
He showed some trickles of promise as a rookie, but he missed all of the 2021-22 season as the Warriors won their fourth NBA championship of the Stephen Curry era.
He was sent down to the G League at one point this past season, and Golden State ended up trading him to the Pistons in February.
Wiseman averaged a decent 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 25.2 minutes a game with the Pistons, but he is still very much a work in progress.
The Warriors have seemingly given up on much of their youth movement, as they also jettisoned Poole to receive Chris Paul, the 38-year-old future Hall of Famer, just days ago.
They still have hope for Kuminga and Moody, but there are also concerns, particularly for Kuminga, whom some feel lacks the dedication to fulfill his potential.
At least now, Wiseman will get the opportunity to play significant minutes instead of being buried on the bench while with a team that’s in win-now mode.
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