Wigginton to NBA, Signing Agent

[Frak]

They were both good (or great, in McThree's case) shooters who were well, frustrating on defense and without the trustworthy handle and court vision to play PG in college.

There are some reasonable similarities and comparisons there about them and their relative strengths and weaknesses as college players. Given the difference in athleticism, however, Wigginton's path going forward is going to be entirely different.

I think the group here might be talking past each other about different things.

Yeah, both are NBA PG size but neither have the handle or passing ability to play that position. And both are probably defensive liabilities. But that's where the comparison ends. McGee is a pure shooter where Wigginton is an attack the rim guy. LW's athleticism at least gives him a shot at the NBA someday. McGee was never going to play in the league.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Yeah, both are NBA PG size but neither have the handle or passing ability to play that position. And both are probably defensive liabilities. But that's where the comparison ends. McGee is a pure shooter where Wigginton is an attack the rim guy. LW's athleticism at least gives him a shot at the NBA someday. McGee was never going to play in the league.

I agree with all of this, and while Wigginton had a few highlight reel dunks, I do not recall him being a particularly effective finisher around the rim through the trees. I remember a lot of turnovers that way. Sure, he definitely tried to go to the rim far more than Tyrus ever did, but he was not really particularly good at it. Guys like Monté and Naz were much better at it within recent memory in the numbers for finding the right angle or window to finish at the rim.

At the rim shooting statistics, for comparison...

2019 Wigginton = 38/60 (63.3%, assisted 44.7%)
2017 Morris = 80/128 (62.5%, assisted 17.5%)
2017 Mitrou-Long = 79/104 (76.0, assisted 32.9%)

Filtering out the assisted shots, which are by definition not looks you created for yourself and likely relatively easy to finish, and you end up with the following...

2019 Wigginton = 21/43 (48.9%)
2017 Morris = 66/114 (57.9%)
2017 Mitrou-Long = 53/78 (68.0%)

Doing the same calculations for McGee...

2012 McGee = 21/29 (72.4%, assisted 28.6%)
2013 McGee = 33/43 (76.7%, assisted 39.4%)

Adjusting out the assisted ones...

2012 McGee = 14/22 (63.8%)
2013 McGee= 22/32 (68.9%)

Tyrus was not going to the rack as much as Wigginton, but not that much less if you look at it, and he was much more efficient about when he did it. Ironically, the more I look here, the more the two are coming across as comparable. They were both ideal bench gunners who could can you three pointers but lacked PG skills and hurt you on defense. I know that might sound odd given the different level of athlete and their different paths to Ames (with Tyrus being a pretty unheralded JUCO and Wigginton being a near-5* recruit with tons of expectations), but looking this over, junior/senor Tyrus and sophomore Wigginton fit best into a similar niche.

Donovan Jackson would be another example of that bench gunner who could score in bunches but lacked the other guard skills (again, PG skills and defense) for the next level.

Ironically, despite some of our curiosities/worries about him coming in, Wigginton was at his best as a spot-up shooter. He shot 40.1% and 39.0% from three in his two years; McGee shot 39.4% and 46.4% in his two years. DJax went 45.4% as a junior (44/97) and 40.1% at a much higher volume as a senior (95/237, the school record is 102 by Deadeye Dedric in 1997).

Wigginton might have had ambitions of a more versatile offensive game, but the best part of it was still his shooting. McGee never had pretensions of being anything besides a shooter, but that was where they both excelled based on where they were most efficient.

 

[mb7299]

Do have to wonder if this changes our perspective on going after highly rated recruits especially with how they play with one foot out of the door and the G league becoming more viable for fringe players pay wise (its not amazing pay but it has gotten better). KU type programs can lose guys like this because they bring in more high level guys behind them but we arent that kind of setup at least yet.

 

[madguy30]

Do have to wonder if this changes our perspective on going after highly rated recruits especially with how they play with one foot out of the door and the G league becoming more viable for fringe players pay wise (its not amazing pay but it has gotten better). KU type programs can lose guys like this because they bring in more high level guys behind them but we arent that kind of setup at least yet.

Gonna have to find that mix of solid players in there for sustainability.

Who was the last team full of one and dones that won the title?

Seems having a good core of role players with years of experience has been more successful. Tech this season had a lot of transfers but they were at least transfers with lots of experience.

 

[CycloneVet]

Somebody else made that ridiculous comparison. It’s the fastest way to let everyone know you either don’t pay attention, or have incredibly short memories.

I was a huge fan of McGee, but he’s not in the same hemisphere the player Lindell is.

It also points out who is just plain stupid

 

[CycloneVet]

Do have to wonder if this changes our perspective on going after highly rated recruits especially with how they play with one foot out of the door and the G league becoming more viable for fringe players pay wise (its not amazing pay but it has gotten better). KU type programs can lose guys like this because they bring in more high level guys behind them but we arent that kind of setup at least yet.

It better not. You take those guys when you can get them. You never know when a Carmelo Anthony type guy comes in and carries a good team deep into the tournament for a year.

 

[Cycsk]

Remember all the times he talked about being the first NBA player from Nova Scotia? I think he has an extra fire burning that will keep him trying no matter what.

 

[madguy30]

It better not. You take those guys when you can get them. You never know when a Carmelo Anthony type guy comes in and carries a good team deep into the tournament for a year.

Agree but he had a good core of players around him and their defense iirc was fantastic.

 

[Frak]

It better not. You take those guys when you can get them. You never know when a Carmelo Anthony type guy comes in and carries a good team deep into the tournament for a year.

With the way the NBA rules are set up now, it's going to be extremely tough to navigate. You always want the best players you can get, but with everyone who is remotely successful testing the waters, it is difficult to know how many spots you'll have open every spring. I don't even know if getting rid of the one and done will help all that much, because you still have guys committing to schools early and holding a spot, then declaring.

 

[spitfyr36]

It better not. You take those guys when you can get them. You never know when a Carmelo Anthony type guy comes in and carries a good team deep into the tournament for a year.

Exactly, we should never turn a player down just because they might only be here for one year. That doesn't even make sense in my mind.
The kicker is to have a solid core around these one and dones so they take the team to the next level.

 

[Halincandenza]

Wigginton and Horton-Tucker might go down as two of the most disappointing players in ISU history. Not saying I don't like them or wouldn't have signed them. But in terms of ranking/hype compared to team results and individual results and then added in that they didn't actually spend much time here.

In the last two years ISU is 36-30. No NCAA wins although they did have a Big 12 tournament title. Neither made a top 3 Big 12 team, although Wiggs did win the 6th man award and both were all freshman team.

 

[pulse]

This thread is hilarious.

 

[1973 Banker Clone]

Wigginton is now the #58 pick according to NBA Draft .net.

 

[CloneGuy8]

Wigginton is now the #58 pick according to NBA Draft .net.

While I do hope this happens for his sake, NBADraft.net is about as reliable as me or you making a mock draft.

 

[Sigmapolis]

While I do hope this happens for his sake, NBADraft.net is about as reliable as me or you making a mock draft.

Somebody wrong with putting Tacko Fall first overall because he is 7'7" and UCF almost beat Duke before the refs started letting Zion run people over...?

 

[Gunnerclone]

ISU fans are so down on wigginton but he could easily have a scout or gm or coach fall in love with his athleticism and take him late. Not saying it’s going to happen but the “Lindell is terrible he has no shot” stuff is not cool.

 

[Sigmapolis]

ISU fans are so down on wigginton but he could easily have a scout or gm or coach fall in love with his athleticism and take him late. Not saying it’s going to happen but the “Lindell is terrible he has no shot” stuff is not cool.

Ironic, too, eh, considering his best asset is his shooting.

 

[Hayes30]

ISU fans are so down on wigginton but he could easily have a scout or gm or coach fall in love with his athleticism and take him late. Not saying it’s going to happen but the “Lindell is terrible he has no shot” stuff is not cool.

The idiot fans you mean. People are just salty he left early.

 

[EYEoftheSTORM]

What I’m sure would happen is ISU would get THT, Shayok, and Wigginton all drafted and we will always look back on last season and think what-if. 4 future NBA draft picks on one team (including Haliburton) and get bounced in the first round of the tournament. At least we got a XII Tourney Title out of it and got to thrash Kansas a couple times. Thankfully it’s not like the McDermott years where we had all that talent on the roster and nothing to show for it.

 

[HFCS]

Malone is happy with Monte scoring his typical 7-12 ppg in 20-30 minutes because of all the other things he does and the extra possessions and opportunities he gives the rest of his players.

For Wigginton to have a role he needs to be a guy a coach knows can go out and get 20+ some nights when there's an injury or the starters are not getting it done. He's not as short as Nate Robinson but it's the Nate Robinson role.

I'm not saying he can't do that, but that's what the role would be. High volume scorer off the bench. If he was going to be a point guard we'd have seen it in him.

For people bringing up McGee his shooting is on another level so there is a 5 minutes per game role for a truly elite three point shooter. Obviously if an elite 3 point shooter has other skills there are a number of roles.