Wiggins goes full Maple Jordan, hits clutch 3 for Team Canada

Warriors

Wiggins goes full Maple Jordan, hits clutch 3 for Team Canada

They don’t call him Maple Jordan for nothing.

Andrew Wiggins produced the biggest moment of his international career thus far on Saturday in Team Canada’s game against the Czech Republic in the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

With Team Canada trailing 94-90 with 17.2 seconds remaining in regulation, Wiggins sank the second of two free throws to make it a single possession game. His teammate, New Orleans Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, then intercepted the ensuing inbound and got the ball to Wiggins behind the 3-point line.

The Warriors’ forward dribbled twice to his left, then back once to his right before raising up and hoisting a game-tying 3-pointer that hit nothing but net.

And that wasn’t the end of Wiggins’ heroics, as he had another clutch moment in the overtime he helped force.

RELATED: How Wiggins showed he can be a long-term fit with Warriors

With Team Canada trailing by two with 20 seconds remaining in the extra frame, Wiggins hit a pull-up from the free-throw line to knot the score at 101-all. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, though, Czech guard Tomas Satoransky — also of the Chicago Bulls — hit a tough turnaround jumper off glass with 1.8 seconds left, which proved to be the game-winner.

Wiggins finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. With the loss, Team Canada has been eliminated from Olympic qualification.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast