For Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the 2022 NBA Finals are not giving them anything they haven’t seen before. They’ve been here and they know what it takes to win at this level of the game.
For Andrew Wiggins, however, things are different. Unlike many of his teammates, this is his first time in a position to win it all, and he’s not taking it for granted.
Speaking to the media ahead of Game 6, Wiggins spoke candidly about the series and on where his head is at while being close to achieving the ultimate prize.
“I feel like, every day being here, just been trying to soak it up and embracing it. It’s the biggest stage. Nothing is bigger than this. I’ve been excited the whole time I’ve been here. I’ve been happy. I’m embracing it. I’m not taking it for granted,” said the Warriors star. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lot of people. A lot of people don’t get a chance to experience this, so I’m grateful.”
"This the biggest stage, nothing is bigger than this… This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"
Andrew Wiggins on embracing the moment during The Finals.#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV Media Availability 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YRXlk5Cao5
— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2022
Wiggins has played admirably through the first 5 games so far. In Monday’s crucial win, he was the leading scorer, finishing with 26 points and 13 rebounds on a night when Steph Curry went cold from beyond the arc.
“Biggest thing to me is Wiggins. Wiggins in the last two games is 17 (pts) and 16 (rebs) in game 4 and then in game 5 26 (pts) and 13 (rebs). He was the best player on the floor,” said Bill Simmons on Wiggs. “He looked the guy I thought Jaylen Brown was going to be coming into the playoffs. So just quickly, that was not a variable we were kind of expecting. Right?”
Despite being in uncharted territory, Wiggins has responded like a star and has been huge in helping deliver the Warriors three victories in the series so far.
It remains to be seen if Golden State can close the deal tomorrow, but Wiggins will be key to their success, just like he is the key to their future. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end.
