How Wiseman's stats compare to star big men's age-19 seasons

Share

The Warriors are 13 games into the 2020-21 NBA season, and that means that 19-year-old rookie James Wiseman has played just 13 games in his career. After only playing three games for the University of Memphis, Wiseman is clearly learning on the fly in such a uniquely odd year.After Wiseman came out of the gate red-hot and caught the league's attention, reality has set in and some of his impressive statistics have come back to Earth. This was expected for a player so young with such inexperience, and yet, his string of games in the last couple weeks has worried some about his immediate, and more importantly, future ceiling.Through 13 games, Wiseman is averaging a solid 10.7 points per game on 48 percent shooting, to go with six rebounds. If Wiseman simply could average something close to this stat line for the season, and improve his defensive awareness and presence, as well as rebounding, the Warriors would be thrilled.Plenty of former and current NBA stars with a similar size that came into the league as teenagers have put up similar statistics at the age of 19. In fact, what Wiseman is accomplishing so far might in fact be more impressive, in that he is playing with the pressure of joining a team that is competing for the playoffs. Most players on this list were high picks for teams with no playoff hope, allowing them to play through mistakes and learn on the court. Despite the difference in circumstances, check out these star players and how they performed as 19-year-olds, and then how their careers panned out.

4 photos
1/4

19-years-old: 10.4 ppg, 6.3 reb, 49% fg
Career: 17.8 ppg, 10 reb, 50% fg

KG was a 15-time All-Star who dominated on both ends of the floor, winning the MVP in 2003-04 (his age 27 season) and the NBA title in 2007-08.

Garnett earned his first All-Star appearance in his second season, where he averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game as a 20-year old.

2/4

19-years-old: 6.8 ppg, 4.4 reb, 41% fg
Career: 20.2 ppg, 8.9 reb, 53% fg 

Wiseman has drawn Giannis comparisons here and there, including earlier this season when his coast-to-coast dunk was dubbed a "Giannis move" by coach Steve Kerr. 

Antetokounmpo has won each of the last two MVP awards and is a four-time All-Star. He didn't make his first All-Star appearance until his age-22 season, his fourth year in the league.

3/4

19-years-old: 12 ppg, 10 reb, 52% FG
Career: 16.6 ppg, 12.2 reb, 59% FG

Howard, a three-time defensive player of the year, was a terror in the middle of the paint for eight years with the Orlando Magic before his production started to dip after leaving the franchise in 2012.

He is an eight-time All-Star, earning his first appearance in 2006-07, his third season in the NBA.

4/4

19-years-old: 11.5 ppg, 7.4 reb, 46% FG
Career: 19.2 ppg, 8.5 reb, 49% FG

Bosh is one of the players most commonly used as a comparison for Wiseman's ceiling. An 11-time All-Star, Bosh blossomed as a lefty big man who could score in the paint, protect the rim and space the floor with his jump shot.

Like Howard, Bosh didn't make his first All-Star team until Year 3, his age-21 season.

Contact Us