Let’s make things extremely clear, James Wiseman and Jordan Poole are two completely different players. But their stories are becoming eerily similar (apart from Wiseman’s injury), as both guys were drafted to the Warriors, saw some success (albeit nothing that equated to wins), and then were sent to the G-League to work on their game.

Granted, after the 2019 Finals the team struggled with injuries to Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney, Stephen Curry, and even Draymond Green at times so they didn’t have a true number one scorer until Curry returned in March. But by then, the team’s record was poor and to make things worse, the NBA was shut down due to Covid.

It was that same year that the Warrior’s picked Wiseman with the second overall pick in the draft, so his first season was a strange one. And then later, Wiseman suffered a knee injury which would limit the amount of experience he could get on an NBA court. But the Warriors knew the potential limitations when drafting him as he had only played three games in college due to a suspension. There was a high risk but also a high reward for taking Wiseman and they believed he would be special. Fast forward to the present day and the feeling is still the same.

Just because he is getting sent down to the G-League doesn’t mean he will never see the NBA floor again. It is a chance for Wiseman to work on his scoring, defense, and overall game so that he can become the best version of himself and prove everyone wrong, just like Jordan Poole. The 28th overall pick said that he believes the critics will be the worst part for Wiseman saying, “The outside noise is what will make it tough.”

Poole experienced the same thing in 2019, when in his first game in the G-League he scored 23 points against the Stockton Kings. In his second game he scored 31 points with five three-pointers. And when he came back a few months later he scored a then career-high 21 points against the Magic.

When asked about Wiseman getting sent to the G-League, Poole said, “It’s not a demotion, it’s not a punishment. He’s going to go down there and shoot as many shots as he wants.”

The expectations are higher given that Wiseman was the number two overall pick, but the same rule applies. Work on your game and your time will come. Many fans are quick to throw around the idea of trying to trade Wiseman but forget that becoming great in the NBA takes time. The Warriors lucked out in 2022 as not every team can have such a quick turnaround from being one of the bottom teams in the league to NBA Champions. For most teams, reaching the Finals is a multi-year process that takes time, trade pieces, good draft picks, and even better coaching. But for the Warriors, greatness has become expected.

That is one more obstacle for Wiseman: To find his place in a team looking to repeat, just as Poole did last season. If he wants to do so effectively then the G-League is a great start for him and should only motivate him to become great, and so that when the time comes, he can confidently step on the court and contribute to another championship.

(Photo credit: Noah Graham / Getty Images)