We are now (at publish time) just three days away from the most important moment in Philadelphia 76ers franchise history in four years—arguably more: The 2014 NBA Draft Lottery. The ping pong balls will pop and the Sixers will find out which slot in next month’s draft the have.
This week, we will take a look at what the consensus of people agree is the reason for the Sixers’ efforts this season. When the Sixers decided to trade Jrue Holliday and collect the additional pick, everyone was excited by the prospect of having two first round picks for one specific reason: a bigger chance to get Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins is the prize of the draft and is the player teams are lining up to get. He has talents and athletic abilities that are just off the charts.
There are only a few concerns and a few “knocks”, so I’ll get them out of the way before going forward. Wiggins is young, very young. He is only a year removed from high school (the bare minimum to get in the league) and will only be 19 on Opening Day. Because of that he is not at his prime, not finished developing nor is even close to be finished growing. That being the case, he is still very raw.
Some people prefer a more finished, NBA-ready prospect then one that you have to project for future seasons. This was the case with people critical of Anthony Bennett in his rookie season. Bennett, a childhood friend of Wiggins and a similar type prospect from Canada as well, was not a year-one All Start that was able to shake the league up. But both players are expected to fully develop into their young bodies and became All-Stars.
Also, some question whether Andrew Wiggins mentally has the mentality to be “the man”. Some say he is too passive, much like Bennett, but Kevin Durant is passive and not have that “killer mentality” Michael Jordan had too and that did not get in the way of him winning the MVP.
When he is finished developing, Wiggins is expected to be the real deal. Like top five in the league talent, real deal. Many have compared him to be the next LeBron James.
One area that will really allow for Wiggins to excel is on the defensive end—something that is a rare strength for a player this young. He has the necessary traits and physical skills to be able to cover the perimeter like a glove. He can move latterly with the best and his tremendous length really helps him excel.
As for offense? Wiggins is a high-flying athlete that can split through the lane. He is a dominant figure on the offensive end, being able to hurt you by scoring, keeping plays alive with athletic rebounds, and a selfless passer. He averaged over 17 points as a freshman playing the toughest schedule in America. In one of the biggest games of the year in March, he dropped 41 points.
The man is a complete player.
Pro Comparison: Tracy McGrady
The Verdict: Absoultely, he's the best player in the draft, fills a need and can serve as the organization's next cornerstone.
