> “You want to keep part of your life private, but it’s hard, because you’ve been in the light,” Wiggins told Andscape after the Warriors lost 126-123 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. “And there’s nothing you could do about it. That’s just how it goes, I guess. You make it to a certain level, then everything is not going to be private.”
–
> “Mentally I’m good. I’m in a great place,” Wiggins said. “I’ve never been one to mentally not be all the way there or be off track. I try to stay pretty level-headed. What I missed the most was just competing, being out there with the team, playing in an environment like this. The fans are into it. The game is close. It’s playoff basketball.”
–
>Wiggins said while he was away from the team he watched Warriors games as much as he could, had shooting workouts and lifted weights. He returned to practice in San Francisco on April 4 after a 51-day absence. Wiggins didn’t play in the two remaining regular-season games after his return, instead using the time to prepare for the postseason.
> Wiggins appreciated the patience from the Warriors organization, and the support from his teammates while he was away.
> “In this organization, I feel like I’ve been blessed, just being here and all that time they gave me off to be with my family,” Wiggins said. “They didn’t have to do that, and they did it. And they didn’t rush me back. It was my decision to come back, so I just feel like that just says a lot about this organization. From my heart, I can say everyone here cares. This whole organization cares. There still can be a lot of good people out there.
>“I’ll never forget that. A lot of teams aren’t doing that, so I’m forever grateful.”
–
Looney:
> Looney told Andscape that the Warriors players “never questioned” Wiggins’ absence and he was “superexcited to see him back in good spirits.”
> “I’ve known ‘Wiggs’ for a while since high school,” Looney said. “I know what he is about and I know he loves the game. He doesn’t really miss games. He takes that seriously. He takes care of his body. So, for him to step away, that means it’s a serious situation. We know he’s a private person. We want to [support] him because if we were in the same situation, we’d want the same thing to happen…It was huge for our franchise to do the same thing. You don’t see that often. Everything usually leaks. So, for that to stay under locks is big time for our team and our franchise.”
christmasKlay
50 days isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. Both sides did it well.
wesomedawgs
I am forever grateful for wiggins’ game 5 in the finals
Obligatory-Reference
This is the kind of things that players remember – especially free agents when they’re deciding where to go.
Shamanboi408
we love ya wiggs
VIInnit
happy for wiggs and i’m truly lucky to be a fan of this organization. culture unmatched
antimoobs
Remember when everyone hated him when he didn’t want to get the covid shot which is no longer needed?
JesusJuiceDrinker
That means Warriors gonna get another Wiggins discount for his next extension
Blade3rd
Happy to have Wiggs back. Hope he gets back into form soon. He’ll be a major factor in these playoffs.
abestract
Every team should be studying the Warriors when it comes to culture.
Kdog122025
He’s ours and no one can have him
aBetterBadIdea
Not gonna lie, the silence stunned me. No leaks, shutting down rumours. I was curious: I went so low as to scour TMZ, Daily Mail, nothing.
There is something special going on in Golden State. Not for nothing they’re my favourite team.
Substantial_Row_7108
I’d be forever grateful if he could hit a three 🫤.
abekku
Love you wiggs
JBurma
Well, be grateful and make a 3 in the 4th. Sorry
applene
🥹🥹🥹
HorrorScopeZ
Zion should love the Pelicans just as much.
dombrogia
I said this multiple times as the few shit head fans were blowing up when he initially stepped away:
If the warriors don’t support Wiggins to step away you’re going to get a wiggins who is under performing because he has shit on his mind other than the game and is going to be spread too thin as a man. Then once whatever he’s battling blows over and he’s not spread thin, he mentally will struggle with balancing life and basketball.
The warriors ended up eating the hit upfront missing time from Wiggins when he wasn’t going to be there fully physically or mentally. But what they gain is doubling down on a level of appreciation and buy in from someone who obviously wants to be here and be part of this organization.
When you look at it from a long term perspective rather than just the 30-60 day window, the decision to give him space really becomes a no brainer.
What’s the most impressive is that nothing leaked. Good on the warriors org as a whole.
18 Comments
Some Wiggins’ quotes from the article:
–
> “You want to keep part of your life private, but it’s hard, because you’ve been in the light,” Wiggins told Andscape after the Warriors lost 126-123 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. “And there’s nothing you could do about it. That’s just how it goes, I guess. You make it to a certain level, then everything is not going to be private.”
–
> “Mentally I’m good. I’m in a great place,” Wiggins said. “I’ve never been one to mentally not be all the way there or be off track. I try to stay pretty level-headed. What I missed the most was just competing, being out there with the team, playing in an environment like this. The fans are into it. The game is close. It’s playoff basketball.”
–
>Wiggins said while he was away from the team he watched Warriors games as much as he could, had shooting workouts and lifted weights. He returned to practice in San Francisco on April 4 after a 51-day absence. Wiggins didn’t play in the two remaining regular-season games after his return, instead using the time to prepare for the postseason.
> Wiggins appreciated the patience from the Warriors organization, and the support from his teammates while he was away.
> “In this organization, I feel like I’ve been blessed, just being here and all that time they gave me off to be with my family,” Wiggins said. “They didn’t have to do that, and they did it. And they didn’t rush me back. It was my decision to come back, so I just feel like that just says a lot about this organization. From my heart, I can say everyone here cares. This whole organization cares. There still can be a lot of good people out there.
>“I’ll never forget that. A lot of teams aren’t doing that, so I’m forever grateful.”
–
Looney:
> Looney told Andscape that the Warriors players “never questioned” Wiggins’ absence and he was “superexcited to see him back in good spirits.”
> “I’ve known ‘Wiggs’ for a while since high school,” Looney said. “I know what he is about and I know he loves the game. He doesn’t really miss games. He takes that seriously. He takes care of his body. So, for him to step away, that means it’s a serious situation. We know he’s a private person. We want to [support] him because if we were in the same situation, we’d want the same thing to happen…It was huge for our franchise to do the same thing. You don’t see that often. Everything usually leaks. So, for that to stay under locks is big time for our team and our franchise.”
50 days isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. Both sides did it well.
I am forever grateful for wiggins’ game 5 in the finals
This is the kind of things that players remember – especially free agents when they’re deciding where to go.
we love ya wiggs
happy for wiggs and i’m truly lucky to be a fan of this organization. culture unmatched
Remember when everyone hated him when he didn’t want to get the covid shot which is no longer needed?
That means Warriors gonna get another Wiggins discount for his next extension
Happy to have Wiggs back. Hope he gets back into form soon. He’ll be a major factor in these playoffs.
Every team should be studying the Warriors when it comes to culture.
He’s ours and no one can have him
Not gonna lie, the silence stunned me. No leaks, shutting down rumours. I was curious: I went so low as to scour TMZ, Daily Mail, nothing.
There is something special going on in Golden State. Not for nothing they’re my favourite team.
I’d be forever grateful if he could hit a three 🫤.
Love you wiggs
Well, be grateful and make a 3 in the 4th. Sorry
🥹🥹🥹
Zion should love the Pelicans just as much.
I said this multiple times as the few shit head fans were blowing up when he initially stepped away:
If the warriors don’t support Wiggins to step away you’re going to get a wiggins who is under performing because he has shit on his mind other than the game and is going to be spread too thin as a man. Then once whatever he’s battling blows over and he’s not spread thin, he mentally will struggle with balancing life and basketball.
The warriors ended up eating the hit upfront missing time from Wiggins when he wasn’t going to be there fully physically or mentally. But what they gain is doubling down on a level of appreciation and buy in from someone who obviously wants to be here and be part of this organization.
When you look at it from a long term perspective rather than just the 30-60 day window, the decision to give him space really becomes a no brainer.
What’s the most impressive is that nothing leaked. Good on the warriors org as a whole.