James Wiseman has not met the expectations of his 2020 NBA Draft selection. Chosen by the Golden State Warriors as the No. 2 overall pick, the former Memphis player averaged 9.9 points and five rebounds across 60 games with the team led by Stephen Curry.
On ESPN’s The Hoops Collective podcast, hosted by Brian Windhorst, a 2020 NBA re-draft was discussed, where Wiseman faced significant criticism.
Despite this, during the lead-up to the 2020 Draft, the league largely did not question the Warriors’ choice. However, Tim Bontemps expressed a blunt opinion with a hint of hindsight. “There was talk at the time about them considering Tyrese Haliburton with this pick. They certainly should have done that,” Bontemps remarked.
“They should have gone in almost any direction but James Wiseman, who has turned out to be a major bust. Some of that is his fault, some of it isn’t.”
Haliburton was selected 12th in the 2020 NBA Draft. To argue that the Warriors should have chosen the future Pacers All-Star guard is to suggest that 10 other teams made the same mistake. Most scouts didn’t project Haliburton as an All-Star, but they did see him as a more polished player than Wiseman.
Wiseman, who only played three games for Memphis University, was still a highly regarded prospect heading into the draft. Although he didn’t emerge as a star, particularly for a talent-heavy team like the Warriors, Wiseman now has a chance at redemption with the Indiana Pacers.
However, Wiseman won’t need to perform at a star level for the Pacers to find success, unlike with the Warriors. Given the Pacers’ need for size, Wiseman’s contributions could play a key role in bolstering Indiana’s frontcourt depth and enhancing their legitimacy as a competitive team.
