LAWRENCE, Kan. – Andrew Wiggins has been called disappointing. The critics have said he hasn’t lived up to expectations. He has gone from the prize of college basketball’s freshman class, to fourth or fifth place among the rookies likely to stay just one season and then head to the NBA.
It has all been blatantly unfair.
And the best word to describe Wiggins at this point in the season is dangerous.
“I would say I’m feeling more comfortable on the court,” Wiggins said Wednesday night after his second consecutive career high scoring performance, a 29-point night that helped No. 6 Kansas to a 92-81 victory over No. 16 Iowa State at Allen Fieldhouse. “My teammates are looking for me. Getting the whole team involved is what it’s about.”
Kansas (16-4, 7-0 Big 12) certainly had all its starters involved against Iowa State. Wiggins led the way, hitting 10 of 16 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Sophomore Perry Ellis had 20 points, a “quiet” 20 as coach Bill Self said. Freshman center Joel Embiid, who has garnered more attention than Wiggins since conference play began, had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Point guard Naadir Tharpe finished with 12 points, 12 assists and one turnover. And freshman guard Wayne Selden, Jr. had 11 points and five assists.
The Jayhawks shot 51.6 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from 3-point range, and 85.7 percent on their free throws.
“When the ball moves and it doesn’t stick and we get rotation, we are getting where we’re fairly hard to guard,” Self said. “I think we’re getting hard to guard because we’re able to score at all five spots. It’s easier to guard a team when you have to defend three spots or four spots.”
After four losses in non-conference play (against the toughest strength of schedule by far in the nation) it was easy to cross the Jayhawks off the list of national championship contenders. But right now Kansas is undefeated in perhaps the toughest conference in the nation. Today they play at No. 25 Texas, a team that is coming into its own and surprising people. Rick Barnes might be Coach of the Year in the Big 12.
Some think KU could run the table to an undefeated conference season if they win at Austin today. Of course, with every impressive victory for the Jayhawks, expectations are going to rise.
“There is a rhyme and reason for the way Bill schedules,” Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s done an excellent job of getting this team together. I don’t now if I can name anybody playing better than them right now.
“When you have talent and the skill set of their players – and now they are confident – that’s a tough team to beat.”
The Jayhawks still aren’t playing the high level of defense Self’s teams are known for and unforced turnovers are making Self a little crazy in terms of ball protection. But this remains a work in progress. In addition to the sudden confidence and aggression from Wiggins, the most encouraging thing has been Tharpe’s improvement as a leader.
“His leadership is going through the roof,” Wiggins said. “Whenever I have a question on the court, or second-guess something, I always go to him for advice. He is getting us all involved, and that is what we need from our point guard.”
Tharpe said he was just trying to draw defenders and find an open man. That’s exactly the role he should be playing. His shot selection is improving and his 2-for-5 production from three-point range was important against Iowa State.
“I knew I had to get dudes involved, get them going,” Tharpe said. “A couple of interior passes to the bigs, and they would just finish it. That’s what we needed.”
Self is the most realistic guy in the world when it comes to this team. People who want Wiggins to be Kevin Durant simply don’t get it, Self says, because Wiggins isn’t a natural-born shooter. But the kid certainly isn’t disappointing.
“He still took only 16 shots,” Self said. “It’s not like he’s hunting shots. He’s going to have a game where he gets 21 or 22 looks, shoots the ball like that and he could have a really big night for us moving forward.”
And from the looks of things right now, that could happen very soon.
Speak Your Mind