Andrew Wiggins was named an NBA All-star starter mostly due to a big push from Warriors fans, as well as some voting boosts from K-Pop star Bam Bam and his fans. Leading up to the game, Wiggins was playing like he earned the role: He was scoring an efficient 20 points a game over a stretch, playing great defense, and just kinda hooping. Since return to regular season play, however, he’s been a little more lackluster.

Well… a little more than “a little more” lackluster.

In the 5 games he’s played since returning from the ASB, Wiggs is averaging 14 points per game on 39% from the field and 33% from the arc. The Warriors have had Luka Doncic and LeBron James go off on them, two wings who (while they are very good), Wiggins is the point defender on. The energy doesn’t look great out there, he’s settling for more jumpers instead of getting to the rim where he was hyper-efficient earlier in the season, and his play is clearly being affected by a lack of effort or some other mental barrier.

This Steph Curry soundbite is from earlier this week, but it still sums up what’s been going on with Wiggs:

Steph is, as Marcus Thompson calls him, “Mr. Optimistic”, and he clearly has a lot of faith in Wiggins. To be fair, it’s completely warranted faith. Wiggins has had stretches this season where he’s looked like an All-Star. But his biggest issue is his consistency, which actually has a pretty easy fix.

Unfortunately, that easy fix is also something Wiggins has been known for throughout his career.

He’s settling. He’s playing passive. When he isn’t doing that, he’s phenomenal, but that’s what he’s doing right now, and what he’s doing right now is not working. A huge part of his game is the athleticism he possesses and the rim pressure he can provide by being a 6’8 high-flyer that can get by anybody with strength and skill. He’s averaging the lowest amount of attempts at the rim this season in his career by a relatively large margin.

There’s also the issue of his free throw shooting. Over his last 20 games, Wiggs is shooting 42% from the line. That’s abysmal, and probably one of the main reasons he’s been so reluctant to try and get to the basket to force contact. His passiveness is likely a product of a lack of confidence in his shot, which has struggled a bit as of recent both from the free throw line and from the field as his counting stats denote. Wiggins’ little slump is probably a short-term confidence issue given its suddenness, but if this continues to roll over into the start of the playoffs? That’s where the issues will spring up.

Andrew Wiggins is a phenomenal athlete and a gifted basketball player. He said himself that he’s found a home in Golden State, and has been playing his best basketball here. Time will tell if he can work out whatever his issue is right now, but the Warriors are going to need him to step up to that same standard if they’re chasing a title this year. Wiggins is a valuable part of this team whether people want to admit it or not; “Two-Way Wiggs” needs to make a comeback.

(Photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)