M I LW A U K E E B U C K S
ANDREW WIGGINS K ANSAS
SHOOTING GUARD
AGE: 19
6-8, 200
CEILING Tracy McGrady FLOOR Chandler Parsons Wiggins is an out-of-this-world athlete who can score in myriad ways. Considering how open the court is in today’s NBA, it’s hard to imagine he won’t average 20 ppg sooner rather than later. One of the best perimeter defenders in this draft, Wiggins has Paul George–type potential on the defensive end. —D.T.
CHAD FORD’S MOCK TALK
The Bucks have needs everywhere. Joel Embiid, Wiggins and Jabari Parker are all in the mix at No. 1, and if Embiid goes first, Wiggins has the best upside of anyone on the board. He’s not the most NBA-ready prospect, but he’d be an immediate upgrade at the 2 on both ends of the floor. That said, I think the Bucks will lean toward Parker, given their desire to compete quickly and avoid a long rebuilding process.
BUCKS’ REAL-PLUS MINUS
Milwaukee’s general awfulness drags down its collective metrics, but the foundation of Brandon Knight, Larry Sanders and Giannis Antetokounmpo could flip that if joined by an impact talent like Wiggins at No. 2. —B.D.
PF Larry Sanders C Zaza Pachulia
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ESPN The Magazine 06/23/2014
photograph by TURE LILLEGRAVEN PRODUCTION BY FIRST SHOT PRODUCTIONS; WARDROBE STYLING BY COURTNEY MAYS; PROP STYLING BY ALI GALLAGHER; GROOMING BY HEE SOO K WON; JACKET: DOLCE & GABBANA; JERSEY: TOPMAN; PANTS: WARAIRE BOSWELL X GROVER; SOCKS: HAPPY SOCKS; SHOES: AIR JORDAN; SNEAKER CROWNS & HAT: FOURTWOFOUR ON FAIRFAX; NECKLACE: HIS OWN
The overwhelming sentiment on Wiggins is that there is no overwhelming sentiment. Eight months after his ballyhooed beginning at Kansas, he enters the NBA draft a divisive prospect. We hit up an NBA scout to get his unadulterated take and asked a few of our NBA insiders—and Wiggins himself—to dish back.
THE SCOUT
He’s an elite athlete 1 and a great on-ball defender.2 I think he will be a very good shooter in the NBA.3 I have questions about his ballhandling and his ability to get past defenders in our league in the halfcourt.4 I’m also not sold on his basketball IQ.5 He does some of the same moves a lot of the time and didn’t make the right reads against defenses.6 The other major concern I have is whether he has a killer instinct 7 and whether he can be a star.8
THE TRUEST FROSH
NBA COMPS
-3.18 -2.28 -0.33
HIS TALENT IS UNREAL. HIS GAME? STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
PG Brandon Knight
17.1 41
Wiggins’ ppg in 2013-14, the highest scoring average ever for a freshman at KU.
Points scored against West Virginia, the second most ever in a game by a Big 12 freshman. Kansas State’s Michael Beasley scored 44 against Baylor in 2008.
1 KEVIN PELTON, ESPN NBA INSIDER
If Wiggins actually has a 44-inch vertical, as his agent told Chad Ford, that would tie him with Shane Larkin for second among NBA players in DraftExpress’ database.
2 WIGGINS
I take pride in my defense. When I’m guarding somebody and they score, it bothers me. The next possession I really try to key in.
3 PELTON
Wiggins’ college numbers (34.1 3PT%, 77.5 FT%) suggest he’ll be an average shooter or slightly better. Players with similar college stats as freshmen made 35.4 percent of their 3s in the NBA.
4 AMIN ELHASSAN, ESPN INSIDER AND FORMER NBA SCOUT
Right now, he’s nowhere near good enough to create off the dribble; his handle is high and loose, and he consistently takes wide angles off screens. With some instruction and a lot of work, he should have an easier time creating space.
5 ELHASSAN
I disagree; I think his IQ is fine, but I wonder whether he knows how to compete, how to match the energy of his opponent. For most of his life, minimal effort has been enough to dominate. Can he learn to consistently go a few gears higher than he’s ever been?
6 JEFF GOODMAN, ESPN INSIDER
He looked completely lost against zone defenses, especially vs. Stanford in the NCAA tournament (four points, 1-of-6 shooting). And right now, his passing needs a lot of work (54 assists in 35 games).
7 PELTON
Of the 11 All-Star wings who’ve entered the NBA from college since 2003, only three (DeMar DeRozan, Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala) had lower usage rates in their last NCAA season than Wiggins (26 percent).
8 WIGGINS
I think I’ll be a star wherever I go. That’s just how confident I am in my ability.
SG Khris Middleton SF Ersan Ilyasova
1.81 0.26
TO HEAR MORE FROM WIGGINS, GO TO ESPN.COM AND SEARCH “WIGGINS MAGAZINE DRAFT VIDEO”