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The Golden State Warriors’ No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman, has been out for the team’s last ten games as he proceeds to recover from a sprained left wrist. However, his return is approaching as he continues to progress in his recovery. Wiseman has returned to practice, and fortunately, it looks like the rookie could be returning to the lineup soon as he provides an update about his recovery process.
Wiseman Provides a Timely Update
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Confirmed by the big himself, Wiseman assures that he is feeling better and is making considerable progress in his recovery, per Nick Friedell’s Twitter.
Wiseman says he doesn’t have much pain in his wrist anymore. He sounds confident he will be back on the floor soon. “I’m getting better each day.”
Just last week, head coach Steve Kerr mentioned that the rookie was still experiencing some pain in his wrist which caused him to be out an additional seven days, which has now become longer than that.
With most of the Warriors’ bigs injured, including Eric Paschall and Kevon Looney, the return of Wiseman is much needed, especially for the front-court. Looney is still recovering, while Paschall just recently returned to the court playing as the team’s five. As Wiseman prepares to return, Looney’s return will help the Warriors as well.
Along with his injury, Wiseman was benched from the starting lineup in late January, which has allowed him to watch and observe how someone of his position should play as a starter. Being that it is only his first year in the league, the rookie has impressed the organization while also still having some adjustments to make.
A Possible Return for the Rookie
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On Tuesday, Wiseman was re-evaluated and will be presumably joining the Warriors on their upcoming four-game road trip to the Eastern Conference, per Anthony Slater’s Twitter.
The “hope” is that James Wiseman can return during this upcoming four-game road trip, Warriors say after a re-evaluation of his sprained wrist. Team plays in Orlando, Charlotte, Indianapolis and New York.
After making a major comeback in their 120-112 overtime win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, the Warriors will be traveling to play Eastern Conference opponents. The Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and the New York Knicks. Wiseman hopes to make his return in one of these games.
Wiseman sprained his wrist at the end of January in a game against the Detroit Pistons. He was initially only supposed to miss 7-10 days but as he was re-evaluated after this time period, it was decided that the 7-foot-1 rookie would need more time.
In the 20 games that he did play, Wiseman has averaged 12.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is also shooting at 50.3 percent from the field in addition to how well he’s playing during his first year in the league. His return will definitely aid the Warriors as they currently sit at 16-13 for the season, putting them at seventh place in the Western Conference.
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