James Wiseman’s Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Warriors Roster

Karen Pulfer Focht/Associated Press

The Golden State Warriors have drafted Memphis center James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman’s Scouting Report

Player: James Wiseman

Position: C

Height: 7’1″

Weight: 240

Pro Comparison: Hassan Whiteside

Scouting Report: James Wiseman possesses the most impressive physical profile in the draft with measurements that mirror Joel Embiid’s. And Wiseman looks even bouncier around the rim. He’s not polished after playing just three collegiate games, but the hope is that he can build on the flashes of post moves and shooting touch from high school and turn them into reliable skills. Regardless, he’ll add value with his finishing and rim protection.

Warriors Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year) 

Stephen Curry, PG: $40.2M (2022)

Klay Thompson, SG: $38M (2024)

Andrew Wiggins, SF: $29.5M (2023)

Draymond Green, PF: $24.9M (2024)

James Wiseman, C: Rookie scale contract (2024)

Kevon Looney, C: $4.8M (2022)

Jordan Poole, SG: $2M (2023)

Alen Smailagic, PF: $1.5M (2023)

Damion Lee, G: $1.5M (2022)

Eric Paschall, PF: $1.4M (2022)

Ky Bowman, SG: $1.2M (2022)

Mychal Mulder, G: $1.2M (2022)

Marquese Chriss, PF: $1.2M (2021)

Free Agents

Juan Toscano-Anderson: RFA

The 19-year-old’s collegiate career ended after just three games when he was suspended for receiving impermissible benefits from Penny Hardaway. Rather than serve the NCAA suspension, he left school and began preparing for the draft.

“I wanted to have a great collegiate career,” Wiseman told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I wanted to win a national championship. But throughout the course of the first two games, everything started to go down in terms of my mental [well-being]. I was getting depressed. It was dehumanizing for me.

“I felt it was unfair because they notified and alerted me at the last minute. Coach Penny told me about it. I was really down and shocked. When I got suspended for 12 games and had to pay back the money, that was kind of surreal. I didn’t really have any knowledge of [the violation] or all the ramifications behind it.”

While his career at Memphis was brief, he flashed the type of talent that made him a surefire top-five selection. The 7’1″ center averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 assists, blocking 3.0 shots per game and shooting 79.6 percent from the floor.

Dominant on the interior with excellent leaping ability and finishing skills near the rim, Wiseman has the skill set that could give him an Andre Drummond-type of NBA career.

He likely would have been the No. 1 overall pick in this draft if it weren’t for the rapid decline of the interior force center. His lack of shooting prowess is particularly glaring when juxtaposed with more versatile bigs like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, who provide size and floor spacing.

Wiseman’s NBA success will be predicated on his ability to find some semblance of an outside shot.

The big man perfectly rounds out a stout Warriors starting five that features Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Thompson suffered a lower right leg injury during a workout on Wednesday, although the severity is unclear at the moment, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Golden State was missing a center entering Wednesday, but that’s no longer the case with Wiseman, who should be the low-post force that this team needs.

Curry, Thompson and Wiggins should handle the bulk of the scoring load while Green and Wiseman rebound and play tough defense. Green obviously adds ball-handling and distributing skills, while Wiseman will be a shot-blocking menace down low.