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The James Wiseman era is officially upon us. According to a report from The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, the second overall pick will start today in the season opener between the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets.
It’s a remarkable show of trust in Wiseman. The 19 year old center played just three games in college, and missed all three of the Warriors preseason contests due to a bout of the coronavirus. He’s partaken in just two scrimmages, but now he’ll start his first NBA game, tasked with defending the rim against Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and jockeying for rebounds with DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen.
Sources: The Warriors will start James Wiseman at center tonight in Brooklyn. No summer league, no preseason, only a sprinkle of college hoops, but he’ll debut against KD and Kyrie. Into the fire. He’s impressed enough in camp and they’re extremely high on his future.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 22, 2020
We’ll see how many minutes Wiseman plays. Golden State has made a habit of starting centers who fit the traditional physical mold, even if they don’t play them many minutes. Damian Jones, Zaza Pachulia, and JaVale McGee all made a habit of starting and then barely playing.
So that will be the true test of the Warriors faith, and Wiseman’s role. But one thing is clear: Golden State is incredibly high on their rookie lottery pick, and they’re ready to get the Wiseman era under way.