A New and Improved Andrew Wiggins Will Flourish This Season Alongside Stephen Curry
March 5, 2020: Andrew Wiggins goes for 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks on 45 percent shooting. It’s a small sample size but significant nonetheless because it’s a sign of what’s to come in the future. It’s only one game, but it’s the first game in which Wiggins has played alongside a future Hall-of-Famer in Stephen Curry. Wiggins has never played alongside someone of Curry’s caliber and by all means, Steph was still a little rusty in his return, but you didn’t just see the impact with the two playing alongside each other, you felt it.
Plenty of conversation this coming season will revolve around the return of Curry and the addition of new faces like Kelly Oubre Jr. But what cannot be overstated is that the success of the coming season will also fall on the development of Andrew Wiggins, as he plays his first full season in the Warriors’ system. It will also be his first full season with Curry alongside him on the court.
Wiggins displayed talent and potential in Minnesota, but the execution and commitment didn’t quite match. As the coming season quickly arrives, he has his best chance yet in taking the next step in his game, with Curry acting as his best guide on the court.
Spacing like never before
Curry is a literal basketball system in and of himself, and we’ve seen the impact he has on opposing defenses by just stepping onto the court. When your point guard is a threat to shoot from 40 feet out, you’re forcing defenses to keep accountable starting from half court. This leads to spacing like never before for Curry’s teammates, and we’ve seen so many players take advantage of this throughout the years. Now’s the time for Wiggins to do the same.
We saw a bit of chemistry building between Curry and Wiggins in their lone appearance together last season, with defenses following Curry and #30 finding Wiggins for the easy lay-up (following a no-look pass). Wiggins was still getting used to a point guard with this type of vision, but he’ll have plenty of time to get accustomed this season, and his game will be better as a result. With his length and skill set, Wiggins can cash in with his mid-range game, and there’s a chance his job will be even easier with Curry constantly stretching defenses farther out to the arc.
Wiggins as a facilitator
One of the invaluable skills that Wiggins can develop is his ability to be a facilitator, and it sure helps when you have the greatest shooter of all-time on the other end of those passes. Wiggins has never averaged more than three assists in his career, but in just his ninth game with the Warriors last season, Wiggins recorded 10 assists alongside 22 points in a win against the Denver Nuggets, a notable stat that caught the eye of Steve Kerr. Wiggins achieved that alongside a rotating roster of players, imagine what’s possible with Stephen Curry back in the fold.
In Minnesota, the primary role of being the scorer was bestowed upon Wiggins from the start (granted, that’s to be expected when you’re drafted number one overall). Now in Golden State, the primary scoring load isn’t expected of Wiggins by default. He has the chance to expand his game further as a facilitator, and the fit could not be more perfect in Golden State. With the Warriors movement and motion is key, and the same goes for Stephen Curry, who is lethal in playing off the ball. As long as Wiggins can find him, then we could very well see him expand his game to another level.
Playing with joy
It might not be evident in the box score, but it is surely viewable to the naked eye: The Warriors play with joy, and with that, they have become so dominant. It was noticeable to the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who noted to Stephen Curry, “Listen, I love the way you guys play man...You guys look like you’re having fun out there.” Giannis could very well partake in that joy himself (but hey that’s up to him) yet one thing is for certain: Andrew Wiggins will be playing with joy come next season, and his play will be better for it.
Curry’s impact goes beyond the three-point barrage he unloads or the spacing he forces on the court: it’s also the culture he’s helped cultivate over the course of the Warriors dynasty. Players have come to Golden State to be a part of that joy and culture, and the benefits have been great. For Wiggins, enjoying his first full season with an organization that embodies a winning mindset will do wonders for his game, and it’s another by-product of suiting up alongside Stephen Curry.