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Kevin Garnett: I don’t think Andrew Wiggins loved basketball

HoopsHype
·7 min read
13

Garnett shares something else — a point posited by scouts throughout Wiggins’ basketball life. Early on, frustrated by the perceived gap between his talent and performance, Garnett wondered about Wiggins’ passion for the game itself. “I thought he liked basketball, but I don’t think he loved it,” Garnett says. “Like, Wiggs has other interests in life. He has other things that stimulate him, and I have to respect that.”
Source: Baxter Holmes @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Baxter Holmes @Baxter
NEW: On Andrew Wiggins breaking free from the long shadow of expectations and finding his place — and peace — in Golden State: espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 11:25 AM

Yossi Gozlan @YossiGozlan
With the Oklahoma City Thunder set to waive someone before acquiring Miye Oni, and then subsequently waive him, they will be at 14 players after.
I’d keep an eye on them finally converting Aaron Wiggins to a standard contract now that they’ll have an open roster spot. – 4:20 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
OKC just rolled out of bed and got a 2nd round pick for free.
May not seem like much, but here’s a few current Thunder 2nd rounders:
Aaron Wiggins
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Isaiah Roby
Mike Muscala
Theo Maledon – 4:14 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Kenrich Williams on Comparing himself with Aaron Wiggins “being able to play off the lead guards, I see a lot of similarities, catch and shoot, defending multiple positions.” – 1:08 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Mike Wilks on similarities between Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins “they do a good job of playing off the ball.” Mentions cutting and being ready to take open shots. – 12:46 PM

Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2005, the @Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Garnett scored a career-high 47 points in a loss to the Suns.
Garnett is one of only 22 players in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points.
He and John Havlicek are the only players in that group without a 50-point game. pic.twitter.com/p17RoiwLAE – 12:01 PM

Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
DeMar DeRozan (249 points) and Zach LaVine (204 points) both rank in the top-5 in total points in the 4th quarter.
The last pair of teammates to both rank in the top-5 in total points in the 4th quarter in a season was Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell in 2003-04 with Minnesota. – 10:06 AM

Tom Ziller @teamziller
Seeing an increasing amount of Wiggins All-Star buzz out there … are we going to have a legitimate Wiggins-KAT debate for the final West spot??? – 11:36 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Warriors 33, Heat 25 at end of one. Poole 14 for Warriors, Wiggins 12. Heat could not take advantage of two early fouls on Curry. – 10:37 PM

Monte Poole @MontePooleNBCS
Warriors bang 5 3-pointers in first six minutes. Wiggins and Poole each w/2, Porter rails one seconds after coming off the bench, prompting a MIA timeout.
Warriors 21, Heat 10, 5:36 Q1: – 10:27 PM

Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Warriors obviously think Lowry on Wiggins is a mismatch, and so far they’ve been right. – 10:20 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Warriors 13, Wiggins 10, Heat 6. – 10:19 PM

Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Jimmy currently guarding Draymond
Lowry guarding Wiggins
Feel like a change is coming with Wiggins winning that battle with his length – 10:16 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Andrew Wiggins 8, Heat 4. – 10:16 PM

Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Warriors starters vs Heat
Steph Curry
Gary Payton II
Andrew Wiggins
Draymond Green
Kevon Looney – 8:20 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
New Locked on #Thunder Podcast:
🏀 : JOSH GIDDEY TRIPLE-DOUBLE
🏀 : Aaron Wiggins defense
🏀 : Isaiah Roby thrives offensively
#ThunderUp: https://t.co/mMkaoVLwqq pic.twitter.com/n2rxAp2jvy – 4:41 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Five takeaways from Thunder-Mavericks, with more on Josh Giddey’s historic triple-double, and a funny postgame exchange with Aaron Wiggins: oklahoman.com/story/sports/n… – 11:12 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Aaron Wiggins walking off the podium saying Skittles over and over again makes me so happy. What a fun team on and off the floor. – 10:00 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Aaron Wiggins cracked up when asked if he knew Josh Giddey was a rebound away from the triple-double.
Wiggins said he knew as soon as the crowd went crazy when he got the late rebound over Giddey. He said he quickly passed to Giddey hoping the rebound would transfer. – 9:50 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Aaron Wiggins on Josh Giddey’s triple double: “He’s a great player. It was fun to watch. You see him doing it all. He’s really fun to play with.” – 9:50 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Aaron Wiggins on if he knew Giddey was one rebound away from a triple double with the most unsurprising answer ever:
“Uhhh.. no. (Laughs). I heard the crowd and I immediately knew.”
He says he went right up to Josh and said “my fault.” pic.twitter.com/w9PT3WjN4T – 9:50 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Unlike every Thunder fan (and media) watching, Josh Giddey wasn’t upset when Aaron Wiggins took a rebound from him when he was close to the record.
He says he wanted the triple double to come naturally.
“My teammates were telling me. I’m never going to go hunting for rebounds.” – 9:43 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Giddey laughed when asked about Wiggins taking a rebound from him before he got the triple-double. Giddey said he wasn’t hunting it, and wanted to get a triple-double naturally. – 9:38 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Mike Wilks on Aaron Wiggins defending Luka “he gave a great effort..still give credit to Luka, he missed shots he normally will make.” Says Wiggs “provides a defensive impact” – 9:31 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Aaron Wiggins’ last five games:
24 points/8-10 shooting/6 rebounds
14 points/5-8 shooting/5 rebounds
22 points/10-19 shooting/8 rebounds
13 points/5-8 shooting/4 rebounds
10 points/1 almost stolen Giddey triple double/6 rebounds
The #55 overall pick. – 9:21 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Apparently Aaron Wiggins isn’t one of those guys who checks the box score during games. – 8:54 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Aaron Wiggins is off to another hot start. He’s now shooting 56% overall, including 37% from three. – 7:24 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Aaron Wiggins on Luka Doncic to start. – 7:10 PM

Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs will use their 15th different starting lineup:
DFS, Kleber, Powell, Brunson, Doncic.
OKC starters: Wiggins, Pokusevski, Roby, Giudei Jerome.
6:10 tip @theeagledallas – 6:46 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Thunder starters vs. Mavs:
– Giddey
– Jerome
– Wiggins
– Pokusevski
– Roby – 5:20 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Mike Wilks will start:
Josh Giddey
Aaron Aaron Wiggins
Ty Jerome
Aleksej Pokusevski
Isaiah Roby – 5:19 PM

More on this storyline

“I can’t really tell someone the order to love something in,” Wiggins says, in response. “I love basketball, sure, but it’s temporary. I can only play basketball for so long.” -via ESPN / January 5, 2022

Gina Mizeell: Joel Embiid on his back and forth with Montrezl Harrell: “I wouldn’t say I baited him into that (second tech) but I like to think that I’m a troll. I like to think I kind of made him get out of his comfort zone, and that got him kicked out… -via Twitter @ginamizell / December 27, 2021

“I don’t know, you’ve got to ask the ref, man,” Harrell said when asked to explain what happened. “…He got his rebound, he got an and-one, and it’s cool you got an and-one, but he had it in my face. I ain’t one of them guys. It is what it is, I wouldn’t change it no differently from what I did, on either emphasis, both techs. I stand on both of them and I don’t feel I did nothing wrong.” -via NBC Sports / December 27, 2021