Wiggs is back, folks.
For the first time since mid-February, Andrew Wiggins spoke to reporters Tuesday, sitting alongside Warriors president/general manager Bob Myers. Wiggins has returned to the team after missing the past 22 contests while tending to a family matter.
“When you’re in a certain situation and your family needs your and requires your attention and your love, that’s my first priority,” Wiggins said. “My career – everything – family’s always first for me. It’ll always be that way. I felt like I was in a safe space to come back. I feel like we’ve got everything settled, not fully settled, but in a safe place where I could come back.”
According to a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Wiggins was helping out his father with a “serious medical situation.” When asked if he’d like to share anything about the past few weeks, Wiggins said he wanted to keep it for his inner circle.
“I'd rather just keep that private -- for me and my family, and the people close to the family that need to know,” Wiggins said.
The team tried hard to maintain privacy for Wiggins during his absence, reiterating that his return was indefinite and that he’d get as much time as needed.
“I wanna thank our organization for handling it the way we did,” Myers said. “Basketball’s a really important thing in the world, and certainly here, but it’s never more important than family. That’s never gonna change. When a player or employee of this organization is dealing with something involving their family, we fully support that.”
The first thing you might notice is that Wiggins is sporting a new haircut these days, as he took a few inches off the top and is looking young, like during his Timberwolves days.
Wiggins will be a spectator for Tuesday’s game, with the final two contests of the regular season coming Friday at Sacramento and Sunday at Portland. The 28-year-old wing gave an update on his conditioning, saying he’s in “not terrible” shape. It’s also worth noting that Wiggins was admittedly rusty during his comeback attempt earlier this season, when he missed 18 games due to an adductor strain and two separate illnesses.
“I’ve been working out,” Wiggins said. “But obviously, the NBA is a different type of conditioning you need. But I don’t think it’ll be too long before I’m up there. … I got a lot of shots up. I lifted a couple times. Moreso, I was on the court, getting a lot of work in. Not too much conditioning, but it was in the workout.”
Myers said the team's performance staff will determine a timeline for Wiggins' return, while coach Steve Kerr told Janie McCauley of the Associated Press that the Warriors will likely have to give Wiggins a few days to ramp up.
Once Wiggins is fit to return to game action, you have to assume that he’ll take Anthony Lamb’s spot in the rotation, as JaMychal Green has already fallen out of the rotation with the addition of Gary Payton II.
Just like last year, the Warriors’ healthiest game of the season could come in Game 1 of the playoffs. After appearing in just 37 games so far this campaign, Wiggins is excited to get back into shape and make another title run, as his two-way impact played a huge role in last year’s championship.
“Just being around the guys,” Wiggins said. “Competing with them, going to war with them. This right now is the best part of basketball. Every game means a lot. Just competing with the guys, but knowing there’s bigger things than basketball and having to do what you’re having to do.”
