The Warriors star Andrew Wiggins’s underappreciated rib injury may be a major factor in his troubles this season.
It’s reasonable to say that the Golden State Warriors have had a difficult season with a 19-23 record, and Andrew Wiggins has been a major contributor to those difficulties. Wiggins has significantly underperformed this year after becoming as a key member of their rotation in previous seasons. As a result, supporters are increasingly demanding that he be benched in favor of Jonathan Kuminga.
All season long, Wiggins’ stats have been appalling (12 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 42.7 FG%), and everyone is curious as to what the source of his ongoing difficulties may be. According to reports, Wiggins may still be affected by a rib injury he sustained during last year’s playoffs—not because the injury is troubling him now, but rather because his extended recuperation interfered with his usual offseason activities.
“People seem to forget that he shattered his ribs against the Lakers in Game 5. His injuries lasted six to eight weeks, and his recuperation would essentially take two months.Due to that, he was unable to play as much basketball throughout his offseason. He was utterly out of rhythm when he arrived at camp and had trouble early in the season. He had an extremely loose handle. The shooting percentages are at their lowest point in his career. — HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto
Wiggins battled through the Warriors’ playoffs the previous year, but because he didn’t have the time to prepare for the season as he typically does, it may have unintentionally contributed to his demise this year. This year, Wiggins has never seemed to be in a consistent rhythm, which may ultimately be related to his offseason regimen—or lack thereof.
Although you can’t hold Wiggins solely responsible for needing time off to heal from an injury, you would think that, now that the season is finished, he would be able to get his act together and perform at his usual caliber. Rather, that hasn’t happened at all, and with Golden State’s season on the verge of collapse, it’s unlikely that the cries for Wiggins’ head will go away anytime soon.
