Andrew Wiggins facts for kids
Wiggins at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
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| No. 22 – Golden State Warriors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Small forward / shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | February 23, 1995 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 197 lb (89 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Kansas (2013–2014) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2014–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2020 | Minnesota Timberwolves | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–present | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andrew Christian Wiggins (born February 23, 1995) is a Canadian professional basketball player. He plays for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the very first player chosen in the 2014 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked him after he played one year of college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks.
Wiggins grew up in Canada. He spent his last two years of high school in the United States. There, he was named a McDonald's All-American, a top honor for young players. At Kansas, he was recognized as a top college player. He became the second Canadian ever to be picked first in the NBA draft. After a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wiggins won the NBA Rookie of the Year award for the 2014–15 season. In 2020, he joined the Golden State Warriors. In 2022, Wiggins helped his team win their first NBA championship. He was also chosen for his first NBA All-Star game that year. Wiggins has also played for the Canadian national team.
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Early Life and Basketball Start
Andrew Wiggins was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in a nearby area called Vaughan. His dad, Mitchell Wiggins, used to play in the NBA. His mom, Marita Payne-Wiggins, was an Olympic runner for Canada. His parents met while they were college athletes.
Andrew started playing organized basketball when he was nine years old. He was already 5 feet 7 inches tall then. When he was 13, he did his first slam dunk. A year later, he grew to 6 feet 6 inches. He even broke a glass backboard while dunking at a community center!
High School Basketball Journey
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Wiggins went to Vaughan Secondary School for his first two years of high school. In 2011, he led his team to a great 44–1 record. They won the Ontario provincial championship. In the final game, he scored 25 points and got 13 rebounds.
In 2011, he moved to Huntington Prep School in West Virginia. During his junior year, he averaged 24.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. As a senior, he averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds.
Wiggins was first seen as a top player for the 2014 class. But in 2012, he decided to join the 2013 class instead. This meant he would finish high school a year earlier. He quickly became the top player in the 2013 class.
In February 2013, Wiggins scored an amazing 57 points in one game. This happened after an article questioned his effort. He was named the 2013 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. He also won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. He was the first Canadian player to receive this honor.
College Basketball at Kansas
On May 14, 2013, Wiggins decided to play for Kansas. He had also considered other big schools like Florida State and Kentucky. He joined the Kansas team in June 2013.
In January 2014, Wiggins scored 17 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a win. This was a rare achievement for a college freshman. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his first year.
Wiggins was named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award. This award goes to the best college player. In March 2014, he scored 41 points against West Virginia. This was the most points scored by a freshman in the Big 12 Conference since 2008.
Professional NBA Career
Starting with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2014–2020)
NBA Rookie of the Year
Wiggins decided to enter the 2014 NBA draft on March 31, 2014. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked him first overall. He was the second Canadian player ever to be picked first.
Later, Wiggins was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. This trade also involved the Philadelphia 76ers. Wiggins became one of the few top draft picks to be traded before playing a game for the team that drafted him.
In his first NBA game in October 2014, Wiggins scored six points. He quickly started to shine. He won the Rookie of the Month award for the first two months. In February 2015, he won the NBA Rising Stars Challenge MVP award. On April 30, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
Career Highs in Scoring
In November 2015, Wiggins scored 31 points in a win against the Chicago Bulls. He then scored 33 points in the next game. This was his first time scoring over 30 points in back-to-back games. In December, he had 32 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in a game. He joined a small group of young players to achieve this.
In January 2016, he scored a career-high 35 points. In November 2016, he set a new career high with 47 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the first Canadian to score over 40 points in an NBA game. He even scored 40 points in back-to-back games in February 2017.
First Playoff Appearance
In October 2017, Wiggins signed a big contract extension with the Timberwolves. He hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In January 2018, he scored a season-high 40 points. He also reached 6,000 career points at a young age.
In October 2018, Wiggins missed a game for only the second time in his career. He struggled early in the season. But he bounced back with a 30-point game in December. In January 2019, he scored 40 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Thunder. He also moved up to second place on the Timberwolves' all-time scoring list.
In January 2020, Wiggins achieved his first career triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in points, rebounds, and assists in one game.
Joining the Golden State Warriors (2020–Present)
First Year and Play-in
On February 6, 2020, Wiggins was traded to the Golden State Warriors. He scored 24 points in his first game for the Warriors. The Warriors did not make the playoffs that season.
In March 2021, Wiggins scored a season-high 40 points. The Warriors made it to the new play-in tournament. But they lost two games and did not reach the main playoffs.
All-Star Selection and NBA Championship
On December 6, 2021, Wiggins scored 28 points and made a career-high eight three-pointers. In January 2022, he was chosen as an NBA All-Star starter. This was his first All-Star selection. He was the first player picked first overall in the draft to become an All-Star in his eighth season or later.
In the 2022 NBA playoffs, Wiggins played a huge role. During the Western Conference Finals, he scored a playoff career-high 27 points. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals, he had 17 points and a playoff career-high 16 rebounds. In Game 5, he added 26 points and 13 rebounds.
Wiggins helped the Warriors win their first NBA championship in six games. He was a key player in the Finals. He led the team in rebounds and blocks. He also played strong defense against the opposing team's best player.
In October 2022, Wiggins signed a new contract with the Warriors. In December, he scored a season-best 36 points. He also made eight three-pointers in that game. In March 2024, Wiggins became the first Canadian NBA player to make 1,000 career three-pointers.
Playing for Team Canada
Wiggins has also played for the Canadian national team. He helped the junior national team win bronze medals in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, he played with Anthony Bennett, who was also a first overall NBA draft pick.
In 2015, Wiggins joined the senior Canadian national team. He helped Canada win a bronze medal in the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. He led the team in scoring during that tournament. Wiggins also played for Team Canada in 2020.
Personal Life
Andrew Wiggins has two children.
He has five siblings: three sisters named Stephanie, Angelica, and Taya, and two brothers named Nick and Mitchell Jr. His brother Nick also played college basketball.
See Also
In Spanish: Andrew Wiggins para niños
- List of Canadians in the NBA
- List of second-generation NBA players
