4 Reasons to get Excited About Andrew Wiggins

1. Not Your Average High School Standout

I remember five or so years ago reading an article about a young phenom from Toronto named Andrew Wiggins. I remember thinking, “Somehow, someway, please let him land on the Timberwolves.” Well, I got my wish and he’s been just as highly touted since.

The words “number one” seem to follow Andrew around. He was rated as the number one prospect in the class of 2014, decided to reclassify to his original class of 2013 and was rated number one over Jabari Parker. He was the number one high school player in the country in 2013, earning Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. He enrolled with Kansas and finished number one on the team in points per game with 17.1. Then, he was taken as the number one draft pick by the Cavs, before being the main facet of a trade sending him to the land of 10,000 lakes.

Bottomline, Andrew Wiggins has been in the spotlight for a long time and he has lived up to the hype at every level.

2. Room to Grow, Literally

Not many people are 6 foot 8 and under 200 pounds. Wiggins is one of those people. It hasn’t held him back, as he can jump out of the gym and fly down the court. However, he will gain muscle and develop more of a post game, making him an inside and outside threat.

And let’s not forget he’s only NINETEEN. Not only is he still growing as a player, he’s literally still growing!

3. That Step-back

A step back jumper is as it sounds. It’s a move used to create space when a player is tightly guarded. It comes naturally to Andrew and is un-guardable when he’s moving fast. He’s got a great shot to go with it. A technique like you see below can take you a long way.

4. Basketball Background

Oct 19, 2014; Tulsa, OK, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) handles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Jul 16, 2013; Hollywood, CA, USA; Andrew Wiggins (center) poses with his mother Marita Payne (left) and father Mitchell Wigginis after receiving the 2013 Gatorade National Boys Athlete of the Year Award at the W Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Basketball was Andrew Wiggins’ first word. Okay I made that one up but with a father who played six seasons in the NBA, it’s a game he’s been taught about since day one. Andrew will have two mentors to guide him through his NBA life, Flip Saunders and Mitchell Wiggins. He’s got NBA in his blood.

Mitchell knew his son was good when Michael Jordan took notice.

“Is that your son?” Jordan asked Mitchell Wiggins, after seeing Andrew play.

Mitchell confirmed, and Jordan was impressed, saying, “Ooh, he’s got a little something.”

“That’s when I started looking at him a little differently,” Mitchell Wiggins said. “He’s always been a player who plays better against the older guys. I didn’t judge him against kids his own age. I judged him against the older players, and he stood out. So I knew he had something.”