Golden State Warriors rookie James Wiseman showed off his defensive abilities with a vicious spike on Domantas Sabonis’ layup attempt in their game on Tuesday.
Peep the clip below to witness Wiseman’s impeccable timing and athleticism. Note how far off the Warriors rookie was. Yet he was quick to his feet upon seeing that Sabonis was making his move.
WISEMAN JUST SENT THIS pic.twitter.com/X0zR1ztpa2
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) January 13, 2021
Per NBA Central, Wiseman actually leads all rookies in blocked shots.
Rookie Leaders:
•Points: LaMelo Ball | Anthony Edwards(136)
•Rebounds: LaMelo Ball (77)
•Assists: LaMelo Ball (66)
•Steals: LaMelo Ball(18)
•Blocks: James Wiseman(15)
•3PM: Saddiq Bey(23)
•Plus/Minus: Payton Pritchard(+45)— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) January 12, 2021
Despite his stellar effort, the Warriors lost to the Pacers, 104-95. Wiseman had eight points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks in 26 minutes of action. He was 4-of-11 from the field and 0-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Nevertheless, Wiseman’s defensive effort is a welcome sign for Warriors fans. Head coach Steve Kerr has said numerous times that the rookie still has a lot to learn. He added that the 19-year-old is very receptive to instructions and criticism from the staff and his teammates.
It certainly helps that Wiseman is being mentored by forward Draymond Green who’s known to be one of the smartest players out there. Warriors fans know how instrumental Green is to the team. Statistics don’t tell the full story of his impact. His voice, leadership, and guidance are what make him an asset. The snippet below is just one example of how Green mentors Golden State’s young gun.
Always leading.
Listen in to Draymond Green (@Money23Green) mic’d up mentoring rookie James Wiseman (@BigTicket_JW)!@warriors face the Pacers tonight at 10:30pm/et on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/95cgQZ4P0C
— NBA (@NBA) January 12, 2021
