Warriors Select James Wiseman With No. 2 Pick in 2020 NBA Draft
The Golden State Warriors have selected center James Wiseman with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Wiseman, who was ESPN's No. 1 ranked high school player in the Class of 2019, played just three games at Memphis last season before withdrawing from school in mid-December due to NCAA eligibility issues. In his brief stint with the Tigers, the 19-year-old center averaged nearly 20 points per game on 77% shooting from the field.
“I miss it, man,” Wiseman recently told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix. “I miss it a lot. Everything about this last year has been really hard. I’m ready to put it all behind me. I’m ready to move forward.”
Standing at 7'1'', Wiseman was widely regarded as the top forward-center prospect in this year's draft. “He’s as big and athletic as anybody in our league," one scout told Sports Illustrated. "And a mobile 7-footer who can dunk and rebound? At worst, this kid is going to be a starter.”
His college coach, former NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway, adds that Wiseman is a capable rim protector and has worked on improving his shooting mechanics.
"That really took his range further out,” says the Tigers' head coach. “He was always striving to be better.”
In joining the Warriors, he arrives at a franchise that is in need of an upgrade in its front court. Golden State went just 15-50 in 2019, having played the entirety of the season without All-Star guard Klay Thompson and just five games of service from two-time league MVP Stephen Curry.
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