The 2014 draft can be considered a big draft year. Even before the draft started that year, there was overwhelming publicity, and talented super rookies abounded. Parker , Embiid , Wiggins, Gordon , Randall , Smart , LaVine , Capela and other players are all from the 2014 draft. , and has since become the core of major teams, showing strong strength. Among them, Wiggins, the No. 1 pick, is a controversial star who has been tepid for many years. But this year Wiggins proved himself, with 11519 points, all-star + championship, the first player in the 14th class, and he is worthy of being the top pick.
played for Timberwolves for 6 years. Wiggins’ best year was when he was in the third grade. He played in 82 regular season games and averaged 23.6 points, 4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. 45.2% field goal percentage. With his outstanding performance this year, Wiggins received a five-year maximum salary contract of US$148 million. However, after that, Wiggins played worse and worse, averaging 17.7 points per game, 18.1 points per game, and 21.8 points per game this season, failing to show his star potential.
html In 16 years, Wiggins has never been selected to the All-Star, let alone the best team. The only time he reached the playoffs in 2018, he was the third player behind Butler and Towns. He was swept out in the first round, averaging 15.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2 assists per game, and his shooting percentage was 44%. Such a report card obviously does not reflect his talent. At that time, fans said that he worked hard but did not contribute, and ridiculed him as a basketball civil servant.
It was also at this stage that other players from the 14th class shined. Former teammate LaVine averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game, becoming the core of Bulls . Embiid, the third overall pick, averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds per game and was selected to the second team + second defense. Randall also averaged 21 points and 9 rebounds per game. Jokic, a second-round pick, even averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team. In comparison, Wiggins is much inferior.
However, in 2020, the Warriors acquired Wiggins through a trade. You must know that the Timberwolves posted a first-round pick in exchange for Russell . But 2 years later, everything changed. This season, Wiggins averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The Warriors had an excellent record and he became the starting small forward for the Western Conference All-Stars. After the playoffs, Wiggins also averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game. His offensive and defensive performance was efficient, and ultimately helped the Warriors win the championship.
Wiggins became the first among the 14 star players to win a championship. And on the finals stage, he also suppressed Tatum in matchups. Not only that, so far in his career, Wiggins has scored 11,519 points, also leading all players in the 14th session. 14th scoring champion + All-Star + championship, Wiggins is worthy of being the top pick, and he still deserves a maximum salary contract.
