Steve_424
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Lets take a look at the player most see as the prize of the 2014 NBA Draft: Andrew Wiggins.
Profile
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 197
Wingspan: 7'0"
Age: 18
Position: Small Forward
College: Kansas
Scouting Report (via NBA Draft Express)
Andrew Wiggins had somewhat of a quiet showing on the all-star circuit over the past three weeks, not really dominating the competition the way some might expect considering some of the accolades he's garnered. That might be somewhat by design, though, as from watching him closely and interacting with him, it's difficult not to feel like he's deeply fatigued from the three weeks he spent on the road as well as the incredible circus that has surrounded his college recruitment the past few months. Any scout evaluating him for the first time probably didn't come away thinking he's the NBA franchise changer he's been billed as, but that's not really that much of a concern considering he's still at least 14 months away from having to fill that role.
Watching him practice and play in Portland, Wiggins' talent shined through regardless of how motivated he felt to prove himself at any given moment. He measured an inch taller (6-8) and longer (7-0) than he did last year in Portland, although he hasn't added a single pound to his frame since then, and he's still one of the best athletes you'll find in the world outside of the NBA. Wiggins has the ability to create his own shot at will with an array of jukes, shakes, hesitation moves and amazing body control, even if his ball-handling skills in the half-court still haven't quite caught up. He's dynamite in transition and very capable of finishing effectively in the half-court as well since he can simply rise up over the top of the defense and wait until traffic has subsided before elegantly laying the ball in.
His perimeter shooting is getting more and more consistent as time goes on, as his mechanics have improved and most importantly his release point is getting higher and quicker. His pull-up jumper is becoming a more dangerous weapon as well, aided greatly by the fact that he can simply rise up on a dime and elevate over defenders before throwing the ball in the basket. The touch he shows on his jump-shot leaves a lot of room for optimism regarding how he'll develop in this area down the road.
Not a selfish player by any means, Wiggins looked more than happy creating for others over the course of the week, seemingly taking pleasure in taking the attention off him for once.
Defensively, Wiggins has all the tools to be a menace at his position, with his long arms, excellent size and terrific athleticism, but didn't seem to put all that great of an effort in at most of the events we've seen him at over the past year. He rarely gets into a stance and seems pretty non-chalant in his overall approach, but that likely has more to do with the settings he's played in and what's being demanded of him more than anything.
All in all, nothing Wiggins has shown on the court leads us to believe there is a better NBA prospect anywhere in high school basketball. There may be some concerns about whether he has the mental makeup and killer instinct needed to (want to) be the go-to star his talent indicates, but it will be much easier to draw further conclusions about that at the college level than right now.
Links
Andrew Wiggins - A Visual Scouting Report
Andrew Wiggins is the Anti-Lebron - SB Nation
Andrew Wiggins Commands Attention, Doesn't Demand It - USA Today
21 Reasons Everyone Is Talking About Andrew Wiggins - BuzzFeed
Video
[video=youtube;LuMHNesNPQU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuMHNesNPQU[/video]
Profile
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 197
Wingspan: 7'0"
Age: 18
Position: Small Forward
College: Kansas
Scouting Report (via NBA Draft Express)
Andrew Wiggins had somewhat of a quiet showing on the all-star circuit over the past three weeks, not really dominating the competition the way some might expect considering some of the accolades he's garnered. That might be somewhat by design, though, as from watching him closely and interacting with him, it's difficult not to feel like he's deeply fatigued from the three weeks he spent on the road as well as the incredible circus that has surrounded his college recruitment the past few months. Any scout evaluating him for the first time probably didn't come away thinking he's the NBA franchise changer he's been billed as, but that's not really that much of a concern considering he's still at least 14 months away from having to fill that role.
Watching him practice and play in Portland, Wiggins' talent shined through regardless of how motivated he felt to prove himself at any given moment. He measured an inch taller (6-8) and longer (7-0) than he did last year in Portland, although he hasn't added a single pound to his frame since then, and he's still one of the best athletes you'll find in the world outside of the NBA. Wiggins has the ability to create his own shot at will with an array of jukes, shakes, hesitation moves and amazing body control, even if his ball-handling skills in the half-court still haven't quite caught up. He's dynamite in transition and very capable of finishing effectively in the half-court as well since he can simply rise up over the top of the defense and wait until traffic has subsided before elegantly laying the ball in.
His perimeter shooting is getting more and more consistent as time goes on, as his mechanics have improved and most importantly his release point is getting higher and quicker. His pull-up jumper is becoming a more dangerous weapon as well, aided greatly by the fact that he can simply rise up on a dime and elevate over defenders before throwing the ball in the basket. The touch he shows on his jump-shot leaves a lot of room for optimism regarding how he'll develop in this area down the road.
Not a selfish player by any means, Wiggins looked more than happy creating for others over the course of the week, seemingly taking pleasure in taking the attention off him for once.
Defensively, Wiggins has all the tools to be a menace at his position, with his long arms, excellent size and terrific athleticism, but didn't seem to put all that great of an effort in at most of the events we've seen him at over the past year. He rarely gets into a stance and seems pretty non-chalant in his overall approach, but that likely has more to do with the settings he's played in and what's being demanded of him more than anything.
All in all, nothing Wiggins has shown on the court leads us to believe there is a better NBA prospect anywhere in high school basketball. There may be some concerns about whether he has the mental makeup and killer instinct needed to (want to) be the go-to star his talent indicates, but it will be much easier to draw further conclusions about that at the college level than right now.
Links
Andrew Wiggins - A Visual Scouting Report
Andrew Wiggins is the Anti-Lebron - SB Nation
Andrew Wiggins Commands Attention, Doesn't Demand It - USA Today
21 Reasons Everyone Is Talking About Andrew Wiggins - BuzzFeed
Video
[video=youtube;LuMHNesNPQU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuMHNesNPQU[/video]
