He grimaces, rolls his eyes and scratches his beard, trying to remember. “ I think it was… when I was 12 (6th Grade)”, finally blurted out Andrew Wiggins when a journalist asks him the last time he came off a team's bench. “ It was for one season, the following season I was the starter », Continues the Warriors player with a big smile.
At 28 years old, and after more than 650 games on the clock, he is now experiencing it again for the first time in the regular season (returning from a long absence, he started the first game of the last playoffs on the bench last season) in the Great League. Steve Kerr made this choice a few days ago, to sanction his very average start to the season.
After two first lackluster outings as a substitute (9 then 14 points), the winger regained color last night in Portland. Initially incisive towards the circle, showing off his physical qualities, he displayed confidence in his shooting, particularly at 3-points. His 10 points in the final quarter were important in getting rid of this young, eye-catching Blazers team.
In the end, in 29 minutes, he contributed 25 points (9/12 on shots including 4/6 from distance), 7 rebounds and 2 assists. “ It’s “vintage” Andrew. Looks like the guy I know. He was aggressive, confident. He took the shots, he attacked, he made good passes. I think Andrew was absolutely brilliant », appreciates his coach, who had not seen his player score so much since November 28 (29 points in Sacramento).
He wants to find his place
This adjustment from the Warriors technician has “ clearly surprised » Andrew Wiggins. But this one, who no longer seems annoyed, is aware that “ anything can happen in this league. I'm lucky to be here and if I want to get out of this little niche, I have to continue to fight to get out of it. »
For him, coming off the bench is “ different, that's for sure. This is something else I have to deal with. I have to keep fighting, playing hard, making the right choices, believing in myself. And what happens will happen. ” He adds : ” Of course I want to get back to my normal place. But it might take time, who knows? I can't dwell on a decision made by someone else. I just have to keep playing, be aggressive, stay in the gym and try to do the right thing. »
To see if this kind of performance will push Steve Kerr to reinject him into his five. Or, on the contrary, leave it on the bench to benefit from an additional “booster”.
Before the meeting, the coach assured that the sample of matches was too short to make a long-term decision: “ Sometimes a shock can be good for a player, so hopefully being out of five […] will revive him and allow him to play as we know he is capable of doing. »
| Andrew Wiggins | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2014-15 | MIN | 82 | 36 | 43.7 | 31.0 | 76.0 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 16.9 |
| 2015-16 | MIN | 81 | 35 | 45.9 | 30.0 | 76.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 20.7 |
| 2016-17 | MIN | 82 | 37 | 45.2 | 35.6 | 76.0 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 23.6 |
| 2017-18 | MIN | 82 | 36 | 43.8 | 33.1 | 64.3 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 17.7 |
| 2018-19 | MIN | 73 | 35 | 41.2 | 33.9 | 69.9 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 18.1 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 54 | 34 | 44.7 | 33.2 | 70.9 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 21.8 |
| 2019-20 * | MIN | 42 | 35 | 44.4 | 33.1 | 72.0 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 22.4 |
| 2019-20 * | GOS | 12 | 34 | 45.7 | 33.9 | 67.2 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 19.4 |
| 2020-21 | GOS | 71 | 33 | 47.7 | 38.0 | 71.4 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 18.6 |
| 2021-22 | GOS | 73 | 32 | 46.6 | 39.3 | 63.4 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 17.2 |
| 2022-23 | GOS | 37 | 32 | 47.3 | 39.6 | 61.1 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 17.1 |
| 2023-24 | GOS | 23 | 27 | 41.5 | 27.4 | 65.2 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 12.0 |
| Total | 657 | 35 | 44.8 | 35.1 | 71.8 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 18.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
