Andrew Wiggins is showing a part of himself his harshest critics have long argued he never had in him.
The top overall pick in this year’s NBA draft is not only embracing but now practically demanding that the Cleveland Cavaliers deal him to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wiggins will get his wish on August 23 when NBA rules will allow the blockbuster Kevin Love deal to become official.
Wiggins’ Kansas coach Bill Self is endlessly telling anyone who will listen his once prized recruit now feels a permanent separation from LeBron James will be better for his long-term future.
“When all this trade stuff started, I talked to Andrew and Andrew told me, ‘I hope I get traded,'” Self recently told reporters. “And I’m like, ‘No you don’t.’ And he said, ‘Coach, I do. It’s better for me, knowing my personality and what I need to do, to go somewhere where I’m forced to be something as opposed to going in there where they’re going be patient with me and I’m going to be a piece.'”
And so it is for the 19-year Canadian-born phenom typically compared to Michael Jordan and revered as Maple Jordan. Ironically enough, many thought Wiggins being aligned with James paved the way for a best case scenario of him becoming the next Scottie Pippen, Jordan’s longtime Hall of Fame sidekick with the six-time champion Chicago Bulls.
But Bill Self will tell you Andrew Wiggins wants it all. He wants to be a man in control of his own fame and destiny in the same way both Jordan and James have made their mark.
“Even though in a weird way everybody would love the opportunity to play with LeBron because you’re guaranteed winning for the longevity of his career he needs to develop that mindset to be the guy, for him to be great, and I think being Minnesota will help him do that,” said Self.
All that translates into meaning Andrew Wiggins doesn’t want to lurk in LeBron’s shadow because, well, he sees himself as LeBron James.
In Minnesota, playing alongside slick ball-handling and passing point guard Ricky Rubio in what figures to be an uptempo Timberwolves attack, Wiggins will certainly get his chances to impress. As for everything else, his 7-foot wingspan and 44-inch vertical leap will always afford him a fighting chance.
“I think he’s handled everything great,” said Self. “I think the whole thing that’s been blown out of proportion a bit is he’s in limbo. He’s known since the summer that he’d be traded. It’s OK. In some ways he’s looking forward to going to Minnesota.”
And the chance to be the best Andrew Wiggins he can be.
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