Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after their October 7 practice that Andrew Wiggins will not play against the Sacramento Kings on October 8, according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.
Wiggins missed the Warriors’ training camp and skipped their nail-biting 91-90 win against the Los Angeles Clippers on October 5 in Hawaii because of an illness.
He was spotted shooting in the Warriors’ first practice at the Bay Area since arriving from Hawaii.
Kerr added Wiggins participated in practice but did not take part in the live-action.
Andrews also reported Wiggins “is still on track to be ready by the start of the regular season.”
The Warriors will open the season against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 23.
Kerr is counting on Wiggins to have a bounce-back season and emerge as the team’s No. 2 scorer behind superstar Stephen Curry in the wake of Klay Thompson‘s departure.
“I’m expecting a big year from [Wiggins] and I think there’s also a void that is left by Klay’s absence that we need to fill,” Kerr said of Wiggins on September 26 during the Warriors’ Media Day. “That’s a lot of points to score, but it also means we have to rethink how we’re doing things, and [Wiggins] will be featured for sure. He’s a guy who’s proven he’s a 20-point-a-night guy, and we’re going to be relying on him heavily.”
Wiggins was in and out of the starting lineup last season while averaging a career-low 13.6 points.
Andrew Wiggins is in ‘Great Shape’
Kerr told reporters Wiggins is in “great shape,” and he doesn’t expect his illness to set him back, according to Andrews.
Unlike last year’s offseason when Wiggins reported to the training camp out of shape, per ESPN report, the 29-year-old forward is entering the season with the right approach.
“He’s been in the gym all summer,” Warriors general manager Dunleavy said during the team’s media day. “[I] Can just sense a little bit different vibe from him this time of year. His body looks great. He’s been through a lot personally, but as far as the basketball part of it, I think he’s in a good spot. We’re optimistic he’s going to have a great season.”
Wiggins skipped Canada’s stint in the 2024 Paris Olympics to get into shape for the NBA season.
No More Distractions
Part of the reason Wiggins is more engaged this time is his past off-court distraction finally had its peaceful resolution.
His father, former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins, passed away in September.
“He looks physically really fit,” Kerr said of Wiggins during the team’s media day. “Speaking with him, he sounds very motivated. He’s very much at peace.”
“I think he’s in a place where he knows the last couple of years have been tough for a lot of reasons, and I think he’s primed to get back to where he was a couple of years ago. He’s at the age where he’s right in his physical prime, and we’ve seen him do it. He helped us win a championship.”
Wiggins’ mysterious absences were tied to his father’s battling sickness at the time.
Shams Charania, formerly of The Athletic, reported in 2022 that Wiggin’s father has been dealing with a serious medical condition, which explained the Warriors forward’s mysterious personal absences over the past two seasons.
Wiggins missed two months of the 2022-23 NBA season, then missed another four games last season. He also He canceled a business trip to China this offseason due to a family emergency, which was surmised to be related to his father’s medical condition.
