James Wiseman's current G League assignment is less about the numbers and more about his ability to work on aspects of his game, develop them and show the Warriors that he can contribute in the NBA.
The 21-year-old center played in his first game back in the G League on Saturday night, finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes in the Santa Cruz Warriors' 111-91 loss to the South Bay Lakers at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Wiseman went 7-of-12 from the field and 1-of-2 from 3-point range.
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While the numbers are impressive, Wiseman committed five fouls and was minus-13 in the loss, the worst among Santa Cruz starters.
Still, Wiseman had several notable moments for the Sea Dubs, including eight first-quarter points.
In the second half, Wiseman scored five quick points on a great sequence. First, he threw down a dunk after a pick-and-roll with Jerome Robinson. Wiseman didn't make contact with Robinson's defender, but he caused enough disruption to create space.
Moments later, Wiseman confidently stepped into a 3-pointer and drained it.
Late in the third quarter, after the Sea Dubs forced a turnover, Wiseman ran the court and was rewarded.
NBC Sports Bay Area's Zena Keita reported that Santa Cruz coach Seth Cooper reiterated that Wiseman's goal isn't to stuff the stat sheet but rather to work on his game while he's with the Sea Dubs.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Wiseman is expected to spend at least 10 days in Santa Cruz, meaning he will remain with the team during their back-to-back on the road against the Salt Lake City Stars on Monday and Tuesday.
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