Thought all the NBA rosters were set with the conclusion of All-Star Weekend? Think again.
James Wiseman, the Warriors’ second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is returning to the court for the first time in nearly a year with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors tonight against the Stockton Kings. Wiseman suffered a season-ending meniscus tear last April and struggled to recover in the months following.
While his return to Golden State is uncertain, fans will have a chance to see the former Gatorade National Player of the Year in action after a tumultuous couple of seasons.
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Here’s all the information you need to watch James Wiseman and the Santa Cruz Warriors take on the Kings in Stockton tonight.
When do the Santa Cruz Warriors play the Stockton Kings?
The Northern California showdown tips off at 7 p.m. PT. The Warriors are hitting the road, traveling two hours to Stockton Arena to take on the Kings. This is the fourth and final time these two teams will face off this season.
Where can you watch the Santa Cruz Warrior play the Stockton Kings?
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Fans in the Bay Area can watch James Wiseman make his return to the hardwood on NBC Sports Bay Area. The game will also be available on ESPN+.
Who is James Wiseman?
Taken second in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman became the highest-drafted Warriors player since Joe Smith in 1995. However, Wiseman’s journey through the league has not been without its challenges.
Wiseman’s path leading up to the NBA was plagued by recruiting controversies. Originally from Nashville, Wiseman moved to Memphis in 2017 to play under Penny Hardaway. Hardaway, a four-time NBA All-Star was selected third overall by the Warriors in 1993 but was immediately traded to the Magic where he spent the first six seasons of his professional career. He later spent time with the Suns, Knicks and Heat before retiring in 2007.
This transfer initially prompted the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) to place Wiseman and teammate Ryan Boyce under a one-year suspension due to a violation of the “athletic coaching link” rule as Hardaway coached them on “Team Penny,” playing in the EYBL at the time. Wiseman quickly returned to action when the rule was deemed “too vague,” allowing him to post two dominant seasons with Memphis East during which he won a Tennessee State Championship and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Those recruiting controversies followed Wiseman to college when he committed to play for Memphis, where Hardaway had recently been hired to take over as head coach. It was revealed that Hardaway paid $11,500 in moving expenses for Wiseman’s family in 2017. Hardaway, a Memphis alumnus himself, was argued to be working as a booster on behalf of the University, effectively suspending Wiseman for the season. While the NCAA offered concessions to allow Wiseman to return to play, he opted to hire an agent and prepare for the upcoming NBA draft where he was taken second-overall by the Warriors.
In his NBA debut, Wiseman scored 19 points and six rebounds to set the tone for a solid rookie season. In mid-April, that all came to a halt when Wiseman suffered a torn meniscus and required surgery. Originally expected to be out for six months, Wiseman’s return to play was prolonged when he underwent another surgery in December to clean up the scarring and debris from the original operation.
On Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors announced that Wiseman had been cleared to return to play. As of now, he is slated for two games with the G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.
Will James Wiseman play with the Golden State Warriors?
Wiseman’s return to the NBA remains to be seen. As of now, there’s no definite timeline for him to suit up with Golden State, but head coach Steve Kerr said he believes with more reps, “he’s got the potential to be a tremendous player.”
With exactly a month remaining in the NBA regular season, Wiseman’s got a limited window to work his way into the Warriors rotation. However, it couldn’t come at a better time for Golden State as Draymond Green remains sidelined with a back injury since early January. Green is expected to return as soon as March 14 when the Warriors host the Wizards.
Where are the Warriors in the G League standings?
The Santa Cruz Warriors are currently 10th in the Western Conference G League standings. With a 10-13 record, only the Memphis Hustle and Salt Lake City Stars have worse records in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, the Stockton Kings currently sit in eighth in the conference standings, two spots out of the playoffs but a half game behind the six-seed Iowa Wolves.