Warriors rookie James Wiseman connected on his only attempt from three in his NBA debut, scooping a poor Brad Wanamaker pass and knocking it down from the top of the key in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' opening-night loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Golden State's lineup hasn't typically featured a center that can stretch the floor and consistently make 3-pointers, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters Thursday that he has confidence in Wiseman's ability from outside.
"We are encouraging him to shoot, if he's wide open from the 3-point line we want him shooting," Kerr said to media over Zoom. "We think he can make that, as he showed the other night he's got a really good stroke."
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That being said, the Warriors' coaching staff wants to ensure Wiseman isn't forcing up long-range shots, something that has become more of a regularity around the NBA in recent years.
"What we have to teach him, and he'll figure it out as we go this year, is shooting the right one vs. the wrong one," Kerr explained. "The wrong one is five seconds into the shot clock, and we haven't made the defense work. The right one is, we've run our offense, there's a pick-and-pop and he's open, and there's rhythm to everything, then that's the one to take.
Golden State Warriors
"I don't expect him to figure that out right away, but he will over time. In the meantime, we're going to encourage him to shoot."
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Wiseman's only attempt against the Nets did come off of a pick-and-pop with Wanamaker, and he also showed off his touch on a jumper just a few feet inside the 3-point line later in that fourth quarter.
Given his limited time in college, many weren't sure what to expect from Wiseman's perimeter game at the NBA level. The 7-foot-1 Wiseman attempted just one 3-pointer in his three-game career at Memphis, and given his size, the big man didn't spend much time on the outside at the high-school level.
After Steph Curry, the Warriors will be eager for any and all production from the rest of the roster after Tuesday's slow start in Brooklyn. If Wiseman can continue to develop his shot and steadily bring his attempts up throughout the season, he could add an important element to the Warriors' struggling offense.