Before arriving in Lawrence, Kan. for his freshman year, Andrew Wiggins had already been pegged as the number one pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and the next great superstar. Fast-forward to his third season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Wiggins has impressed with his athleticism and his ability to, at times, score at a frenetic pace. However, Wiggins has taken somewhat of a backseat to center Karl-Anthony Towns, who in his second season, has captured the national spotlight and is touted as one of best players in the NBA.
Despite not being the absolute center of attention on the Timberwolves, Wiggins has continued to make incremental improvements to his statistical totals over the course of his career. This year is no different. He has increased his average in points, rebounds and assists while shooting 34 percent from the three-point line compared to 30 percent last season. Yet, for some reason Wiggins isn’t seen in the same light as he once was when he came into the NBA. It is almost as if the average fan thinks he has reached his ceiling and has focused their attention to see how great Towns will become.
Some would argue that nothing could be further from the truth. There are times when Wiggins looks like he can compete with any player in the NBA.
Here are three skills that Wiggins could acquire or improve upon to send his game into another stratosphere:
- Consistent jumpshot: Shooting is not one of Wiggins’ strengths, yet this season he has fallen in love with the mid-range jumper. 40 percent of Wiggins’ attempts this season have come from mid-range but he is shooting only 38 percent from that area of the floor. If he is able to become a consistent jump shooter, the combination of his vertical and his wingspan could make Wiggins one of the league’s most deadly offensive threats. He would not only be able to rise up over the top of defenders on his jump shot, but they would be forced to guard Wiggins tightly and not sag off in anticipation of him attacking the basket.
- Get to the free throw line: Wiggins is currently the fourth most used player in the NBA averaging 37 minutes per game. Despite the minutes Wiggins plays, he is only getting to the free throw line 6.3 times per game, ranked 16th among all players. But averaged out over a per 36-minute basis, that ranking plummets to 35th. Wiggins needs to be more aggressive in driving to the rim and not shy away from contact. He could easily add another three to four points per night by making the conscious effort to seek more contact and get to the free throw line. It’s possible, ask Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden.
- Guard multiple positions: In the modern era of the NBA, versatility seems to be one of the most coveted attributes. Players like Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green, San Antonio small forward Kawhi Leonard, and Milwaukee Bucks small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo can guard nearly every position on the floor. Defensive versatility allows these three to guard the pick and roll in a variety of ways. If Wiggins could consistently defend point guards and power forwards, it would allow him to switch screens making it more difficult for the opposing team to exploit a mismatch.
At 21 years old the sky’s the limit for Wiggins. Not many players possess the lateral quickness, leaping ability, and length that he does. That combination of tools sets him apart from his peers. If he can refine certain areas of his game, nothing is stopping Wiggins from becoming a top 10 player in the NBA.
Logan Metzger is a contributor for Howlin’ T-Wolf. Follow him on Twitter: @loganmetzger33
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