San Francisco — After Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Golden State Warriors Star Andrew Wiggins Seen in a new light by how he digs deeper defensively, and even the 2-2 series dominates the glass to help his team.
Lean, athletic forward Registration 17 pointsReduced the 16 significant rebounds of the career’s best, had the highest plus or minus 20 of the starting unit, and was held Boston Celtics Star Jason Tatum scored 23 points in a 23-shot attempt. His desire to win and compete was demonstrated in the 43rd minute of Friday.
There was a period during his 6 seasons Minnesota Timberwolves That his competitiveness was a problem. Wiggins had athleticism, a quick first step, and the ability to handle the ball at 6’8, but he never rushed into the star and critics said he wasn’t trying to maximize his attributes. I believed.
“I can never say I wasn’t competitive at any point. I was on the losing team [in Minnesota]”Wiggins told Yahoo Sports after Sunday practice. “I used to score up and do almost everything, but now I’m on the winning team. So all I do is people will appreciate it more, and it’s a win. That is. No one respects the loser, and I feel it. Everyone wants to be a winner, but no one can do it. People respect the winner, And I’m happy to be in this situation. “
Or “Non-competitiveThe label is currently being played in the Golden State of Wiggins for the third season after being traded in the Golden State in 2020. From the rookie season, there is evidence to support his claim that he always had a competitive fire.
The Cleveland Cavaliers chose Wiggins, who was ranked number one in the 2014 draft. And soon after LeBron James made a splash when he was told he was returning to Cleveland after spending the last four years leading the Miami Heat to two titles.
From there, the fate of Wiggins was unclear, as management suddenly had to gather a championship list around James.
For Wiggins, who knew he probably wouldn’t play the game for the team that drafted it, it was a daunting period of nearly two months.
“It was a tough time,” Wiggins told Yahoo Sports. “I do not lie.”
In a trade of three blockbuster teams in late August, the two headliners on the package saw Wiggins sent to Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Love, an all-star power forward.
And in two matches against Cleveland during the season, the final Rookie of the Year confirmed that the Cavaliers remembered why they took him on the first overall pick.
At the first meeting in late December, Wiggins scored 27 points in 9 out of 16 shots in a losing effort in Cleveland. At that time, it was his second highest scoring output.
The final meeting of the season took place in late January. Minnesota lost again, but Wiggins scored a career-high 33 points 14-of-25 from the field in 43 minutes.
“I definitely circled them in a calendar,” Wiggins told Yahoo Sports. “I certainly knew when they would come. I was ready.”
In his third match a year later, Wiggins raised his ante by setting a career-high 35 points with a 12-19 shot. Wiggins and Timberwolves did not beat the Cavaliers until their fourth season in the league, but a young star made his point.
“I wanted to show them what was missing. I wanted to show them what I was doing well here. That was my way of thinking at the time,” Wiggins told Yahoo Sports. Told. “Playing with the team that traded you has always been fun and competitive. It wasn’t an easy experience, but I feel that’s why it made me motivated and competitive.”
The Cavaliers won the title from the James, Love and Kyrie Irving trio in the second season after overcoming the 3-1 final deficit in 2016 and confusing the Warriors with historic measures.
Wiggins said he understands the route the Cavaliers have taken to surround James with a well-established veteran and he has no strong feelings.
But he wants to set a straight record.
“I’ve always been a competitor and wanted to win. It should never have been questioned,” he told Yahoo Sports.
