Number one overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins had a rough start to the season, but it appears that he might have turned a corner recently. After early performance metrics had Wiggins grading out as a middling wing player at best, he now is beginning to resemble the player that everyone expected him to become.
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Wiggins has begun to assume a larger role in the offense recently, and he has flourished in the role. He shot 10-of-16 and scored 25 points against the Suns last night, and he added a strong defensive performance, netting three steals.
Wiggins has scored 20 or more points in seven of his last eight games, and he has played particularly well so far during January. In five January games, Wiggins is averaging 23 points, six rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals while shooting 52 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.
The numbers represent a stark increase in efficiency for Wiggins, which could be resulting in the increased raw numbers. The strong recent play has to be encouraging for the Minnesota front office, as players as young as Wiggins rarely play so well for an extended stretch of games.
It remains to be seen whether Wiggins can keep up his level of play for the rest of the year, but if he continues to combine this level of efficiency and playmaking with some of the jaw-dropping athleticism that he displays in the open floor, then he will once again be regarded as a future superstar rather than the next James Posey or Shane Battier.
Below, you can see highlights from Wiggins' game against the Suns.
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