Last season had to be a nightmare for Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman in more ways than one.
The former No. 2 pick was initially prescribed a similar return timeline as Klay Thompson and expected back in December or January. However, Wiseman ended up shelved the entire season with a lingering knee issue that also cut his campaign short the year before. As a result, the big man has appeared in just 39 games, and started just 27 of those, across his two-year NBA career.
If that wasn’t enough, the Warriors went on to win the championship while Wiseman was forced to watch from the bench. He’s now the owner of a championship ring but missed out on the opportunity to be a key piece for a Dubs’ roster that lacked rebounding and interior defensive size outside of center Kevon Looney and forward Draymond Green — two elements of the game that Wiseman offers in spades.
On top of everything, Wiseman has dealt with criticism from fans and media members alike, questioning both his ability to stay on the court and whether the Dubs erred in using the second overall pick on him in the first place.
Wiseman spoke about how he is dealing with those criticisms, as well as his persistent injury woes, during an interview with C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday, August 21.
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Wiseman Speaks on Dealing With Adversity Early in NBA Career
GettyGolden State Warriors center James Wiseman looks on during a summer league bout with the San Antonio Spurs.
Wiseman has assumed a mature perspective rather than a defeatist one and has taken ownership of his identity on and off the basketball court.
“Just experience, going through adversity, it teaches you a lot. It basically draws you closer to yourself,” Wiseman explained. “I’m not afraid to be myself anymore. I’m happy about everything I’ve gone through because it’s molded me into the person I am today. It’s strengthened me mentally, physically, in all aspects.”
However, the center admitted there have been down days characterized by moments of deep disappointment, which he’s had to navigate to achieve his current state of mind. The knee injuries, of course, had a lot to do with that.
I feel like the odds are stacked against me every day just because of my injuries. I’ve had so many setbacks where now I feel like I have to play catch-up. But that’s why I’m just being patient with myself. I’m just trying to figure everything out.
People only see me on the basketball court. They don’t see the real stuff behind the scenes. I had to do a lot of stuff for myself, a lot of self-reflection and healing. Those were just unseen hours people don’t understand.
Wiseman has averaged 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks across 21.4 minutes per night during the course of his professional tenure, per Basketball Reference.
The Dubs center also played in four games during the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, putting up 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and two blocks in just shy of 20 minutes per outing, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.
Thompson Less Patient With Fan Criticism During Tumultuous Return
Getty ImagesKlay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
Wiseman’s approach has been a bit softer than was Thompson’s, as he struggled to find his footing after returning from a two and a half year absence. The five-time All Star shooting guard and four-time champion let fair weather Dubs fans hear it during a press conference in early April.
“Man, nobody is appreciated by the fans. The fans are so, psh. The fans, man,” Thompson said. “The real fans know what’s up. I’m talking about the fans prior to winning championships who sat through many years of not winning.”
“But these new fans who come around and expect greatness, and they weren’t anywhere to be found prior, they can get away. We can forget those folks. They don’t deserve to rep the Warriors.”
Thompson later walked back his comments and apologized.
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Warriors James Wiseman Sounds Off on Fan Criticism Amid Injuries