Aaron Wiggins is coming off the best season of his career. Wiggins averaged 12 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.8 steals — all career-highs.
Editor’s note: As an annual end-of-season exercise, The Oklahoman publishes a series of report cards on each of the Thunder’s main roster players. Grades will be curved relative to role and expectations. Next up: Aaron Wiggins.
Let’s retrace Aaron Wiggins’ career arc.
The Greensboro, North Carolina, native was a three-year player at Maryland — not a full-time starter until his junior season. The Thunder drafted Wiggins with the 55th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Wiggins was in a Thunder draft class with Josh Giddey, Tre Mann and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Wiggins, the last of those Thunder picks, is the only one remaining in OKC.
Wiggins signed a two-way contract, was promoted to a standard deal during his rookie season and last summer signed a five-year, $47 million extension.
And somewhere amid all of that, Aaron Wiggins saved basketball.
The 26-year-old wing is coming off the best season of his career.
Wiggins averaged 12 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.8 steals — all career-highs.
Wiggins had three games of 30-plus points, including one 40-point game.
He was efficient, with shooting splits of 49% FG/38% 3FG/83% FT. Those numbers dipped drastically in the playoffs to 40%/36%/77%.
He more than made up for his playoff slump with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting in the Thunder’s Game 2 win against the Pacers in the NBA Finals. Wiggins was a team-best plus-24 in his 21 minutes.
Wiggins stole the show with an epic speech before the Thunder’s championship parade. Another moment that added to a remarkable career arc.
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Aaron Wiggins by the numbers
41: Wiggins scored a career-high 41 points (16-of-30) in a February win against the Kings. He also had a career-high 14 rebounds in that game. Wiggins is one of eight players in Thunder history to have a 40-point game. The others: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul George, James Harden, Lu Dort and Jalen Williams.
22.9: Wiggins, in his fourth year with the Thunder, averaged his most minutes per game (22.9) since his rookie season (24.2). He made 26 starts, also the most since his rookie year (35). Wiggins ranked fifth on the team in total minutes played behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Cason Wallace.
15.9: In the playoffs, the Thunder outscored opponents by 15.9 points per 100 possessions when Wiggins was on the floor. Wiggins’ 15.9 net rating in the playoffs was second-best on the Thunder behind Kenrich Williams’ 16.6 net rating.
Aaron Wiggins offseason homework
Wiggins’ offense has steadily improved — to the point where he’s a go-to scorer on some bench units — but sometimes he’s the weak link defensively. Granted, that says more about his teammates than it does Wiggins, a more than serviceable defender. He’s a bit of a tweener — not quite quick enough to hang with shifty guards and not big enough to handle the most physical of forwards. As he gets stronger, Wiggins will become a better option against the latter.
Aaron Wiggins grade: A-
Wiggins, like other Thunder role players, had an uneven postseason. He’s still deserving of an “A”, though. Wiggins played a real role, and played it well, on a 68-win team. Good luck finding a more reliable seventh man.
Thunder report card schedule
In his championship parade address, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced that Thunder chairman Clay Bennett, general manager Sam Presti, coach Mark Daigneault and every Thunder player would be honored with their own official day in Oklahoma City. We’re following Holt’s schedule, publishing each player’s report card on their respective day.
- July 11: Ousmane Dieng
- July 15: Ajay Mitchell
- July 16: Jaylin Williams
- July 17: Kenrich Williams
- July 18: Isaiah Joe
- July 21: Aaron Wiggins
- July 22: Cason Wallace
- July 23: Isaiah Hartenstein
- July 24: Alex Caruso
- July 25: Lu Dort
- July 28: Chet Holmgren
- July 29: Jalen Williams
- July 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Aaron Wiggins report card: OKC Thunder wing turns in stellar season
Category: Basketball
