In order to be among the best defenders in the league, it is better to have a lot of confidence. A star from the West has also demonstrated this recently, saying that he was not afraid of anything or anyone. It must be said that his hunting record speaks for him!
Certainly, Stephen Curry deservedly earned the first Finals MVP of his career last June, but the outcome of the series against the Celtics might have been very different without the presence of Andrew Wiggins. The winger was nothing short of fabulous against the Greens and Whites, putting down a titanic job on the opposition’s top forwards such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The compilations of his sequences in his own half of the field bring him to light perfectly:
Final edit done. Breakdown releasing soon. STILL can’t get over Wiggins defense throughout the Finals. https://t.co/PfBPUmq2W7 pic.twitter.com/igDLeJgo9R
— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) June 28, 2022
Andrew Wiggins confident in his defensive qualities
It should also be added that his defensive performances extend not only to the Finals but to all the playoffs in general. Already very good in the regular season, becoming All-Star with an average of 17 points, the former T-Wolves has successfully put on the warm-up blue against the Grizzlies and Mavericks, in particular. If he wasn’t recognized for that at first, much to his dismay, he intends to change that. Passing through Vince Carter’s podcast, he notably made a final confession about his 2021-22 season:
I can play defense, you know, so I took it seriously. It didn’t matter who I was put on, whether it was Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum…I didn’t care, it didn’t matter. My state of mind was the same. Our team is talented, you know. Everyone is going to hit the ball a lot. Obviously, we have Steph Curry. We have a lot going on offensively, but defense is one area where I thought I could put my stamp on it.
The statement is full of confidence, but clearly one cannot speak of arrogance in the case of the Maple Jordan. Because it’s a fact, besides JT who had a nightmare against him in the Finals, the Memphis superstar and El Matador also suffered martyrdom when he personally took care of them. In barely a post-season campaign, the person concerned has forged an absolutely crazy hunting table. Add to that his solid offensive stats, and his future looks that much brighter.
However, it remains to be seen whether it is in the San Francisco Bay, or elsewhere. The Dubs lacking financial flexibility, they will probably not have the means to keep him in the long term, he who wants to get a big jackpot. Don’t worry though, with his profile as a two-way player, he should be courted by a large majority of the competition and will therefore certainly be able to find a new stable.
Whatever his opponent, including among the cream of the best attacking players, Andrew Wiggins is ready to take up the challenge. This is what he showed during the playoffs, accomplishing each of his defensive missions. A titanic job!