Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Aaron Wiggins
Aaron Wiggins was the fourth rookie selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft. Taken with the No. 55 overall pick, he is actually the most experienced rookie of the bunch.
Standing at 6-foot-6, Wiggins can play guard or wing while providing a scoring spark. Although he’ll likely split time between the Thunder and the Blue in the G League, he should be a fun prospect to watch develop.
After seeing his action in NBA Summer League, the front office should feel good about their late second-round pick.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
Last season at Maryland, Wiggins was excellent, averaging 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest while shooting 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. It was his third college season, as he chose to forgo his senior season to make the leap to the NBA.
At the next level, Wiggins will be an interesting offensive prospect. Especially in the G League, he will have plenty of opportunity to get his shots and naturally develop with repetitions on the court.
He was a bright spot of the Thunder’s summer league campaign, producing 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest. Wiggins looked very natural on the court and was able to make an impact immediately for OKC.
Fit On Current Roster
Like many of the players on the current Thunder roster, Wiggins is extremely young. As the team continues to value developing young talent during the rebuild, he will fit right in.
Shortly after being drafted, Wiggins was signed to a two-way deal by Oklahoma City. This will give him the opportunity to play for both the Thunder and the Blue throughout the upcoming season.
While his learning curve to contribute in the NBA may not be as steep as other rookies around the league, these opportunities with both teams will be key for his development.
Wiggins certainly doesn’t project to be a starter on the Thunder this season, but could legitimately be one of the best players on the Blue and one of the better players in the entire G League.
Long-Term Fit
In NBA Summer League earlier this month, Wiggins really struggled from three. Of his 20 attempts from beyond the arc, he only converted on four of them. With that in mind, he was a solid 3-point shooter in college and has fluid shot mechanics.
Only time will tell, but the evolution of his shot will determine his ceiling and long-term fit. Like many players in the modern NBA, the ability to knock down threes can make or break a career.
For a player like Wiggins who will likely always be a role player, being a consistent shooter will he crucial.
At 22 years old, Wiggins was one of the older rookies in his class. While this means he’s pretty experienced with the amount of college games under his belt, it also says something about his ceiling.
For context, Wiggins is a few months older than his new Thunder teammate Lu Dort, meaning there are a lot of guys on the roster younger than him.
Prospect Grade
B-
Again, Wiggins’ ceiling isn’t near as high as some of the Thunder’s other draft picks like Josh Giddey and Tre Mann. However, he could develop into the 3-and-D type player that every team values so highly.
If Wiggins can continue to develop his 3-point shot and use his 6-foot-6 frame to defend multiple positions at a high level, he could develop into the perfect bench piece. When the Thunder are built to contend down the road, they’ll need guys that fit that description.
As a prospect, Wiggins is very intriguing, but not in the sense that he should be expected to evolve into a star.
