Getty Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors.
Andrew Wiggins is back with the Golden State Warriors and expects to be back in the lineup soon.
Wiggins addressed the media alongside Warriors general manager Bob Myers on Tuesday and had a message for Dub Nation.
“Thank you for all the love and support I had and my family had. I appreciate it,” Wiggins said. “You guys are the best fans in the world.”
Wiggins has been out with a private family matter, which he did not want to discuss publicly. He said he feels like it got resolved to a point where he can feel comfortable playing basketball.
“When you’re in a certain situation and your family needs you and requires your attention and your love, that’s my first priority,” Wiggins said. “We got everything settled, not fully settled, but in a safe place where I can come back.”
Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins plans to attend Warriors-Thunder on Tuesday. The reason for Wiggins’ leave of absence since mid-February is that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious medical situation, sources close to the situation say. 🙏🏽
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on April 3 that Wiggins’ father Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious health matter.
Andrew Wiggins: Won’t Be Too Long Before I’m Back
Wiggins has missed 22 consecutive games. He hasn’t been on the court since mid-February but expects to return soon.
“I got a lot of shots up. I lifted a couple times. Moreso, I was on the court, getting a lot of work in. Not too much conditioning, but it was in the workout,” Wiggins said. “I don’t think it will be too long before I’m back.”
Myers chimed in, saying that the Warriors’ medical staff would have the final call on when Wiggins could be inserted back into the lineup. While he’s at Chase Center, Wiggins will not play on Tuesday against the Thunder.
Bob Myers says the medical staff will decide when Andrew Wiggins returns to the court
“Once Andrew is able to play, it will feel like we’re complete. But he’s not back yet, in terms of being ready to play,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said on Tuesday while addressing reporters.
Warriors Trying to Avoid Play-In Tournament
The sooner the better for the Warriors, who are still battling for playoff positioning. The defending champs have just three games left in the regular season and are trying to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
They’re currently the No. 6 seed but only three games ahead of the No. 10 seeded Thunder. The Los Angeles Clippers have the same record as Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves are also playing chase.
“We’d love to have him and hope that that does happen, because we want to be whole and I’m sure he wants to be a part of this,” Warriors star Stephen Curry said recently. “But when he walks in the door, it’ll be when it’s the right time for him. That’s kind of the expectation at this point.”
Wiggins signed a four-year, $109 million extension in October and is a core part of the future for the Warriors. He was masterful in the postseason a year ago, coming up in big spots, averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds while providing some stiff defense.
Wiggins was averaging 17.1 points on 47.3% shooting before his extended absence. He added 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 32.2 minutes per game.