Andrew Wiggins - Jan. 20 vs. New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH) - Huntington Prep (Huntington, WV): 6-8, 205, SF, 2013 (re-classified) - For the kid that most experts rank as #1 this year, it's amazing to read what some people post about Andrew after watching him one game on TV. This is the third game in a month that I have seen him in person, so I'll try to tell you what I see. I've never coached any teams over 15 years old, never been paid to give my basketball opinion, and definitely not an expert. If the experts say #1, then #1 it is for me, but I would say Jabari Parker is a close #2. It's reported that he has narrowed his choices to KU, UK, FSU, and UNC. I have absolutely zero knowledge about this, but it would seem that FSU might be his pick. Why? His parents played there and his close friend from childhood in Canada and teammate, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, has already committed to FSU. I've read that Andrew does not enjoy, and is getting tired of all of the attention. Seems he would get a lot less attention at FSU than he would at the other 3 schools. When he goes to the NBA, better stay away from NY, LA, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, and a few other cities with fans who care.
What surprised me about Wiggins is how much he is a team player, not reluctant to share the ball. I knew he was the #1, so I was expecting some kind of highlight demonstration. Oh, he will give you a Sports Center slam, but he lets the game come to him and plays within the team's system. Doesn't show a lot of emotion. Shoots an occasional 3, but most of his points are in the paint. Will he be able to do that in college? There will be less room in the paint, less time, and stronger defenders. He will have to make some adjustments, but if he puts the work in and gets good coaching, he has the athletic ability to do whatever he wants. I am told by a UL commit who played against Andrew that he is much stronger than he looks. Very athletic with great body control, especially on the break. Can go hard and lay it up softly. Had 19 points on 5-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. The impressive thing this game is that he got to the FT line for 15 shots and fouled out IU commit Noah Vonleh. This team travels more like an NBA team than a college team, plus they have classwork. Let's see how he holds up the next 2 months.
This post was edited on 1/28 6:01 PM by UKPhilly
What surprised me about Wiggins is how much he is a team player, not reluctant to share the ball. I knew he was the #1, so I was expecting some kind of highlight demonstration. Oh, he will give you a Sports Center slam, but he lets the game come to him and plays within the team's system. Doesn't show a lot of emotion. Shoots an occasional 3, but most of his points are in the paint. Will he be able to do that in college? There will be less room in the paint, less time, and stronger defenders. He will have to make some adjustments, but if he puts the work in and gets good coaching, he has the athletic ability to do whatever he wants. I am told by a UL commit who played against Andrew that he is much stronger than he looks. Very athletic with great body control, especially on the break. Can go hard and lay it up softly. Had 19 points on 5-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. The impressive thing this game is that he got to the FT line for 15 shots and fouled out IU commit Noah Vonleh. This team travels more like an NBA team than a college team, plus they have classwork. Let's see how he holds up the next 2 months.
This post was edited on 1/28 6:01 PM by UKPhilly
