NBA champion Andrew Wiggins is having the time of his life.
After playing a pivotal role in helping the Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals to win their fourth championship in eight years, it’s safe to say the 27-year-old is enjoying his downtime.
“It’s been a different type of summer, but the best summer of my life,” Wiggins said in an interview with Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Wiggins added it’s been “amazing” to go back to Mississauga and Vaughan, Ontario, with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy to see his family and friends.
He also said that he “feels great” that he was able to win a championship and change the narrative around him as a player.
Drafted no. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as the center piece for Kevin Love. Expectations for Wiggins to succeed and produce were high from the jump. Nicknamed “Maple Jordan,” many pundits compared him to either Michael Jordan or LeBron James due to his incredible athleticism.
Despite winning Rookie of the Year in 2014-15, Wiggins was constantly said to have put up “empty stats” as the Timberwolves teams he was on either failed to reach the playoffs or were eliminated very early.
Once he was traded to the Warriors, Steve Kerr and the coaching staff were able to unlock his potential of how he could impact the game. Although his points per game have decreased slightly, he became a much-improved defender, rebounder — especially in the playoffs — and 3-point shooter, eventually earning him his first All-Star selection in 2022.
What’s more, Wiggins isn’t forced to do too much by playing alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Jordan Poole. He knows what his role is in Golden State and excels at it.
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After all that he’s done to help the Warriors win a championship and change the narrative around him, Wiggins deserves a great summer.
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