Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins has an answer for those who doubt him
Once drafted as the No.1 overall pick, its been a long road to stardom for the Warriors’ big man, but it looks like he’s completely OK with that fact.
Fresh off a stunning win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors are riding high as they head into Monday night’s game with the series tied 2-2 and perhaps that’s why one of their stars decided to set the record straight
Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins clears the air
While there will inevitably be a much made of Steph Curry’s performance in the Warriors’ Game 4 victory on Monday night, the reality is there were a few other protagonists on the night and one of them was most definitely Andrew Wiggins. Indeed, Golden State’s forward turned heads as he contributed an invaluable 17 points along with a staggering 16 rebounds. Add to that the fact that he limited Boston’s star Jayson Tatum to 23 points off of 23 shot attempts and you start to see a picture of grit, determination and a will to win. has been seen in a new light with how he dug deep defensively and by dominating the glass to help his team even the series at 2-2.
Yet what we saw in Game 4 of the NBA Finals series was not always the case. There was in actuality a time during his six seasons in Minnesota with the Timberwolves when Wiggins’ competitiveness was very much subjected to critique and scrutiny. It was of course clear that he was athletic, quick off of the first step and for his size - Wiggins stands at 6′8′ - a great ball handler, but many felt he had not quite lived up to the expectation that came with him when he entered the league. “I would never say that I wasn’t competitive at any point. I was just on a losing team [in Minnesota],” Wiggins said following practice on Sunday. “I used to score more and do pretty much everything, but now I’m on a winning team. So, everything I do, people will appreciate it more and that’s what winning does. No one respects losers, and I feel that. Everyone says they want to be a winner, but everyone can’t do it. People respect winners, and I’m happy to be in this situation.”
From Losing to Winning: The road traveled by Andrew Wiggins
When he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 overall pick back in the 2014 NBA Draft, much was made about Andrew Wiggins and his variety of attributes. Yet ironically, it didn’t take long for him to be labeled as “noncompetitive.” Now in his third season with the Warriors - he was traded to Golden State in 2020 - such jabs seem misplaced. With that said it’s important to remember that this is a player who entered the NBA to the sound of much fanfare, only to see it muted just a short time later, when league legend LeBron James announced he would be returning to the franchise after a four year stint with the Miami Heat that saw him win two titles.
Needless to say Wiggins understood very quickly that his status with the Cavaliers was most definitely up in the air. Wiggins would infact go almost two months without any real court time to speak of before coming to the realization that his time with the Cavs was going to be short lived. “It was a tough time,” Wiggins said. “I can’t lie.” Then came salvation, sort of. In August of that same year Wiggins was traded to the Minnesota Timberwoles in what was a three team trade. Interestingly, in a what has to be considered a piece of poetic justice, Wiggins made the Cavs pay in the two games that he faced them that season in what would actually go on to be a Rookie of the Year campaign. “I definitely had them circled on the calendar,” Wiggins told Yahoo Sports. “I knew exactly when they were coming for sure. I was ready.” Unfortunately for the Cleveland, Wiggins didn’t stop there either. Just one year later in his third meeting with the Cans who let him go, Wiggins posted a career high 35 points on 12-for-19 shooting. “I wanted to show them what they were missing, show them I’m doing better over here. That was my mindset back then,” Wiggins said. “It was always fun and competitive playing a team that had traded you. It wasn’t an easy experience to go through, but I feel like that’s what kept me motivated and competitive.”
Andrew Wiggins knows ‘it’s all good’
Though many will point to the fact that the Cavaliers clinched a title with the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in their second season together - ask the Golden State Warriors - after offloading Wiggins, it’s not actually something that the Warriors’ star has any problems with. Wiggins in fact was quick to admit that he does in fact understand why the Cavs did what they did and more over has no hard feelings towards the franchise. With that said, Wiggins made it crystal clear as he prepares for Monday night’s game that there should be no doubt about his mentality when he steps on the court. “I’ve always been a competitor and wanted to win. That should never have been questioned,” he said.