Andrew Wiggins’ transformation from someone who was seen as a bit of a disappointment to an integral part of a championship puzzle is truly remarkable. Wiggins had failed to live up to expectations as the 1st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft and when the Warriors acquired him from the Timberwolves, not many saw him doing a whole lot with his new team.
Wiggins, however, shone for Golden State in a manner that perhaps even they couldn’t have seen coming. He was arguably their second-best player in the playoffs as the Warriors won this past title and no one in their wildest dreams would have predicted that at this time last year. His fine play was rewarded by the Warriors, as they gave him a 4-year, $109 million extension.
Andrew Wiggins Reveals The Areas He Wants To Work On After Signing His Extension
It was a lot less than what he could have gotten if he did hit free agency, but Wiggins revealed he agreed to that offer because he was happy with the Warriors and he felt they have a chance to do something special. They are definitely on course to achieve great things, not just next season but also in the future, as they also extended Jordan Poole. They both had predicted they would get big paydays after they won the title and the prediction came true, which is great to see. Now that the extension talk is out of the way, both men can focus solely on basketball, and Wiggins was asked about the areas of his game that he wants to work on.
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“I want to keep up with the rebounding. I feel like I took a step in the playoffs and I just gotta keep doing it. To me, that’s probably the most important thing, and defense, keep at it”
Wiggins has averaged 4.4 rebounds per game for his career, but he upped it to 7.5 during these past playoffs and in the NBA Finals, he led both teams by averaging 8.8 per game. His efforts on the glass were a bit overshadowed by his exceptional defense and the occasional scoring outburst, but his rebounding was also a big reason why they won.
If Wiggins continues to perform well in these areas, then the Warriors have struck gold. To get a two-way player like him, who is also excellent on the glass, at under 30 million per year in today’s NBA is an absolute bargain. The Warriors have once again been rewarded for the culture within the organization, and it is an example for a lot of teams to follow.
