Despite putting up solid numbers during his first five-and-a-half NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Andrew Wiggins hadn't lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick in the eyes of many fans and analysts.
The Warriors hoped to change Wiggins' fortunes when they acquired him before the trade deadline in Feb. 2020, and on Thursday, the 26-year-old was named as a Western Conference starter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Wiggins was voted in by the fans, along with teammate Steph Curry.
Wiggins, appearing in his first All-Star Game, will start in the frontcourt along with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (captain of the West after receiving the most votes) and reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Rising Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will start alongside Curry in the backcourt.
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Since coming over the Warriors, Wiggins is thriving and has found a home in the Bay Area. In 44 games this season, he is averaging 18.1 points while shooting career highs from the field (48.1 percent) and 3-point range (40.4 percent).
Here's how Twitter reacted to the news that Wiggins is an All-Star:
Adding to the sweetness of the moment for Wiggins is the fact that he was named to the All-Star team a few hours before the Warriors take on the Timberwolves at Chase Center.
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Golden State Warriors
And the showcase game will be played on Feb. 20 in Cleveland. The Cavaliers drafted Wiggins with the top pick in 2014 before trading him to Minnesota for a package centered around Kevin Love.