Detroit Pistons shouldn’t shy away from James Wiseman

The Offensive Potential

Any player who’s tall, strong, athletic, and boasts a long wingspan will be viewed as a potential rim protector. While James Wiseman has the limited film to support that stance, what makes scouts so intrigued is how promising he looks on offense.

Wiseman won’t come in and go 50-40-90 during his rookie season, but he has the touch and budding range to be a serious threat on the offensive end of the floor.

Wiseman’s current strength is being able to get in close and use the glass for efficient scoring opportunities. He’s an overwhelming presence inside, pulling down offensive rebounds and getting to the line with frequency—15.7 attempts per 40 minutes in three NCAA games.

This was true in high school, as well as at the FIBA U16 Americas tournament in 2017, when Wiseman was simply too much to handle down low.

What makes this so intriguing is that Wiseman has the touch to knock down free throws and even score from midrange. It can’t be stressed enough that he will require fundamental polish, but he’s not just another athlete who lacks any sense of how to contribute.

Wiseman has LaMarcus Aldridge potential on the offensive end of the floor, all the while being able to control the offensive glass and protect the rim on defense.

If the Detroit Pistons have a chance to select Wiseman, it would be hard to suggest not doing so.