James Wiseman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
James Wiseman

Wiseman in a youth game in 2017
Indiana Pacers
Center
Personal information
Born	(2001-03-31) March 31, 2001 (age 24) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
High school	The Ensworth School (Nashville, Tennessee) East (Memphis, Tennessee)
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College	Memphis (2019–2020)
NBA Draft	2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2020–present
League	NBA
Career history
2020–2023	Golden State Warriors
2022	→Santa Cruz Warriors
2023–2024	Detroit Pistons
2024–present	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2022) Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year (2019) Gatorade National Player of the Year (2019) McDonald's All-American (2019) Tennessee Mr. Basketball (2019)
Medals Representing the  United States FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold 2017 Argentina National team

James Wiseman (born March 31, 2001) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a center for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers. James is 6 feet 11 inches tall.

Wiseman started his high school basketball journey in Nashville, Tennessee. He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he played for Memphis East High School. There, he was coached by former NBA star Penny Hardaway. As a senior, James was considered one of the best high school players in the country. He won several national player of the year awards. He also played in the famous McDonald's All-American Game.

After high school, Wiseman joined the Memphis Tigers college team. His former coach, Penny Hardaway, was now the head coach there. Early in his first college season, James faced a suspension from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). This was because the NCAA said Coach Hardaway had helped Wiseman's family move to Memphis in 2017. James played a few games after a court order allowed him to. But he later left college to get ready for the 2020 NBA draft. The Golden State Warriors picked him second overall in the draft. He won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022. He was then traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2023. In 2024, he signed with the Indiana Pacers.

High School Basketball Journey

When James Wiseman started high school at The Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee, he was already 6 feet 9 inches tall. He weighed 200 pounds. He played alongside Jordan Bone, who also later became an NBA player. By 2016, ESPN ranked Wiseman as one of the top players for the 2020 recruiting class. He also played for the St. Louis Eagles Amateur Athletic Union team.

In his second year (sophomore season) in 2016–17, James helped Ensworth reach the semifinals of the state championship. He averaged about 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was recognized as an honorable mention for the MaxPreps Sophomore All-American team.

In May 2017, Wiseman joined Team Penny, a basketball team founded by Penny Hardaway. Later that year, he moved to Memphis East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. Penny Hardaway became the head coach there. At first, the state athletic association said James couldn't play. They thought there was a special link between him and Coach Hardaway. But a court later allowed him to play. During this time, James became the top-ranked recruit for the 2019 class by ESPN. In March 2018, he led Memphis East to a state championship. He scored 19 points in that game. He averaged 18.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game that season.

For his senior year, James decided to stay at Memphis East. He liked the school's traditions and how much he had improved there. In March 2019, he had an amazing game. He scored 27 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and blocked 10 shots. This helped his team win the regional championship. Memphis East finished as state runners-up that year. In his final high school game, James had 24 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks.

After his senior season, where he averaged 25.8 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 5.5 blocks, he received major awards. He was named Gatorade National Player of the Year and Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. He also won the Tennessee Class AAA Mr. Basketball award. James played in several important games for top high school players. These included the McDonald's All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic, and the Nike Hoop Summit. He even shared the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the Jordan Brand Classic.

Choosing a College Team

James Wiseman was a highly sought-after player by colleges. Most experts considered him the top recruit in the 2019 class. On November 20, 2018, he decided to play for Memphis. He had also thought about playing for Kentucky. By choosing Memphis, he got to play for his former high school coach, Penny Hardaway. Hardaway had become the head coach for the Memphis Tigers. A few days later, James officially signed his commitment to Memphis.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
James Wiseman C	Nashville, TN	Memphis East (TN)	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	Nov 20, 2018
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 97
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 1  247Sports: 2  ESPN: 1
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Basketball Career

Experts thought James Wiseman would be the first player picked in the 2020 NBA draft. In August 2019, a small shoulder injury kept him from playing in some preseason games. He also missed two preseason games in October because of an ankle injury. On November 5, James played his first regular season college game. He scored 28 points, had 11 rebounds, and blocked three shots. Memphis won the game 97–64.

On November 8, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) said James was not allowed to play for Memphis. The University of Memphis said that Coach Penny Hardaway had paid $11,500 to help James and his family move to Memphis in 2017. The NCAA saw this as Hardaway, a Memphis alumnus, acting as a "booster." A judge in Shelby County, Tennessee, quickly allowed James to keep playing for a short time. Less than two hours later, he played in another game. He scored 17 points and had nine rebounds as Memphis won 92–46. James's lawyers tried to fight the NCAA's decision. But they later dropped the case to try and reach an agreement. On November 20, the NCAA decided James could return to play on January 12. He had to sit out 12 games and donate $11,500 to a charity.

On December 19, 2019, after missing seven games, James Wiseman announced his decision. He said he would leave Memphis, hire an agent, and get ready for the 2020 NBA draft. This meant his college career was over. Draft experts still saw him as one of the top players available.

Professional NBA Career

Golden State Warriors (2020–2023)

The Golden State Warriors picked James Wiseman as the second overall player in the 2020 NBA draft. On December 22, 2020, he played his first NBA game. He scored 19 points, grabbed six rebounds, and had two steals. On January 27, 2021, James scored his season-high of 25 points. He also had six rebounds in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On April 11, it was found that James had torn a meniscus in his right knee. He had surgery on April 15 and missed the rest of that season.

On March 9, 2022, James was sent to the Santa Cruz Warriors. This is Golden State's team in the NBA G League. He played games there to get back into shape. He was called back to Golden State on March 16. But he was sent back to Santa Cruz the next day. On March 19, James had a setback with his injury. Golden State decided he would not play for the rest of the season. Even though he was injured, James won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022. They beat the Boston Celtics in six games.

On July 10, 2022, James returned from his injury in the 2022 NBA Summer League. He scored 11 points, had two rebounds, and blocked two shots. On December 21, James scored a career-high 30 points. On December 30, 2022, he sprained his ankle during a practice game. He then missed several games for Golden State.

Detroit Pistons (2023–2024)

On February 9, 2023, James Wiseman was traded to the Detroit Pistons. This was part of a big trade involving four teams. He played his first game for the Pistons on February 15. He scored 11 points and had five rebounds.

Indiana Pacers (2024–Present)

On July 5, 2024, James Wiseman signed a two-year contract with the Indiana Pacers. This contract included an option for the team to keep him for a second year. On October 23, 2024, James tore his left Achilles tendon in the first game of the season. This was against the Detroit Pistons.

On February 6, 2025, James was traded to the Toronto Raptors. He was traded along with some money for a future draft pick. However, he was released by the Raptors shortly after.

On July 7, 2025, James Wiseman re-signed with the Pacers. He signed another two-year contract, also with a team option.

Playing for the National Team

James Wiseman played for the United States team at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Argentina. He averaged 11.4 points and 5 rebounds per game. He helped his team win the gold medal against Canada. James could not play for the United States in the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup because he was injured.

Career Statistics

NBA Games

College Games

See also

In Spanish: James Wiseman para niños