Andrew Wiggins responds to SI article with 57 points

[insidehoops]

Huntington Prep (W.Va.) senior star Andrew Wiggins was the subject of a Sports Illustrated piece by Pete Thamel that dropped Thursday.

It wasn't exactly a glowing depiction of the Canadian phenom

[ukfan22]

Thamel is such a bitch

[InspiredLebowski]

Thamel is such a bitch

He really is. I'm torn on what I think of Cal, but Thamel's just an asshole. His entire career is just tearing down college kids.

[Snoop_Cat]

Thamel is such a bitch

Why the need to bring up the kid's father? Doesn't directly relate to the kid or his basketball prowess. This guy's such a tool.

[IGotACoolStory]

I guess in related news because I don't want to make a new thread...

Wiggins tentatively scheduled three official visit dates this morning:

-First to UK when they play Miss State on Feb 27.
-Second on March 3 to Kansas on their senior night against Texas Tech (the game is on the 4th--OV's are two days long).
-Last one to UNC on March 9 for their senior night against duke.

Not surprisingly he eliminated Syracuse and Ohio State. And as you might already know, he already OVed to Florida State a while back.

Now tentatively is still tentatively, but it's a hell of a lot more concrete than random interviews saying he we try to visit x school. As an invested fan of a school still in his recruitment, I can tell you that I and many other people weren't sure he would ever step foot on campus. I'm still not positive he will.

Also Wiggins has played his recruitment extremely close to his chest. I don't know anything, you very likely don't, and I don't think anyone really does other than Wiggins and his family. By tentatively scheduling his visits to Kansas and UNC, this pretty much tells us that he is legitimately looking at those other two schools, along with the presumed top two in FSU and UK.


A couple random tidbits...

Apparently Bill Self has developed a good relationship with Wiggins and that's why KU has jumped up in his recruitment so quickly. That could be key going forward as Wiggins said the coach is one of the most important things he is looking in a school. You can also point to the play of Ben McLemore as a positive.

Also I heard UK and UNC were fighting for the March 9th date for his OV. UK has their senior night against rival, Florida. And the aforementioned game between UNC and duke in Chapel Hill. So that's interesting... Read it as you like. I'll throw this out there as well... Wiggins (UNC) vs Parker (duke)? 1v2 ranking, biggest rivalry in college basketball, some words from Parker's father about Wiggins, Wiggins' competitive nature... Something to think about.

Still don't discount Florida State. It's been stated over and over again, Wiggins is not a big fan of the "spotlight". Florida State gives him a more low key situation, where he's already close to Leonard Hamilton, and can play his one year ball with his best buddy.

Lest we forget that everyone knew Wiggins was going to reclassify before he did, but he waited on doing so until his parents told him to. Florida State is only on the list because of both of his parent's connection to the school and Coach Hamilton. I really doubt Florida State looking like ass this year is going to have any pull in his recruitment.

[Burgz V2]

that article was really unfair for a number of reasons.

number 1:

he attacked Mitch Wiggins for something that transpired 20+ years ago. Say something about the player, but why go after someone who already paid dearly for his past mistakes and use it to shine a bad light on his son.

number 2:

he talks about Ro Russell but he doesn't know shit. Andrew was playing at Vaughan Road Secondary in Toronto and was said to be on his way to the US BEFORE his involvement with Russell and the junior national squad. Thamel is simply name dropping Russell in an attempt to further discredit Wiggins' road to present.

number 3: This article put him in a lose/lose situation. Scenario A, he comes out, dominates all over the floor as a response, and Thamel says "see, I told you so!" Scenario B, he has an off game and Thamel says "he can't handle pressure/don't believe the hype"

he sparked a mini-controversy that caused his article to get probably hundreds of thousands of hits. in essence, he his job. no matter how much of douche he ended up looking like

[chips93]

highlights from the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mcabRjrD2k

[irondarts]

Thamel is a POS.

How he even has a job after his Te'o BS is beyond me.

[JtotheIzzo]

Motivation? The kid is a 17 year old man child playing against boys, inspired play will come, and come quickly at the next level.

Ro Russell? Show me a top AAU coach that isn't shady. For what it is worth Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph are very fond of him.

His father? He played in the NBA in the early 80s, over half the league was on coke, his team, Houston, was a bit crazy. He's done well by his son since then, the man deserves a lot of credit.


I think this is actually a good thing, it will keep the kid from coasting (if he even was or ever was), and it shows him its a cold world with a lot of b*tch ass haters, better to learn sooner rather than later.

[Gremlin]

I'd love to see the full game of this. Guy needs to work on his J. Apart from that he is already in beast mode.

[upside24]

Why the need to bring up the kid's father? Doesn't directly relate to the kid or his basketball prowess. This guy's such a tool.

This.

[ace23]

I feel like I'm the only one concerned about Wiggins's lack of handles. He can't dribble.

[IGOTGAME]

What level was the comp?

[ace23]

What level was the comp?

JV D3 college. They were previously undefeated (9-0) playing other D3 JV squads.

[unbreakable]

over the Marietta (Ohio) College junior varsity squad.

My old ass could go out there right now and drop 60 on a JV squad