Andrew Wiggins found his place in the world in San Francisco after joining the Golden State Warriors in 2021. The talented small forward could never live up to the expectations that being a No. 1 overall pick brings, but after he joined the Dubs, things changed for him. He became a solid two-way player who didn’t have the pressure to be a No. 1 option, making life a lot easier for him.
Wiggins did have big performances with the Warriors, being a huge part of the team’s success in the 2022 NBA Finals. Andrew took on Jayson Tatum during that series, shutting him down, and making him look bad in front of everybody.
It wasn’t an easy journey for Wiggins, but now he can call himself an NBA champion, playing a big role in his team’s success. The Canadian star recently traveled to his country with the Larry O’Brien trophy, bringing it to his community while reflecting on his journey to this moment.
‘Maple Jordan’ opened up on his struggles and how he found himself in a great position to compete and win this season after a tumultuous stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Via The Toronto Star:
“I feel great,” Wiggins said in between his time at multiple youth camps in Vaughan and Mississauga. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of people had counted me out, but to be back and … winning a championship? All the sacrifices, all the ups and downs, all the stuff was worth it. It makes the story that much better.”
He also touched on the difference between playing for a struggling T-Wolves team and a solid unit like the Warriors.
“When I step on the court, I’ve always been confident in what I can do,” he said. “When I was in Minnesota, I put up numbers. But people said, ‘He put up numbers on a bad team.’ So, I go to Golden State and I’m not scoring as much, but I’m doing a lot at a more efficient rate, so the whole world gets to see.”
After earning a lot of criticism for being one of the most irregular No. 1 overall picks in recent years, Wiggins’ career revived in Golden State, and he’s ready to keep competing at the highest level with the Dubs. His contract situation is complex, as the team faces major uncertainty over whether to re-sign him or not.
Still, the player is happy with the time he’s spent with the Warriors and hopes to keep playing with them. Yet, it remains to be seen if the team decides to keep him and the other players waiting for an extension.
