James Wiseman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
James Wiseman

Wiseman in a youth game in 2017
No. 13 – 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 was born on March 31, 2001. He is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a center for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). James is very tall, standing at 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 meters).

Before joining the NBA, Wiseman played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers. He started his high school career in Nashville, Tennessee. Later, he moved to Memphis East High School. There, he was coached by former NBA star Penny Hardaway.

As a senior in high school, James was considered one of the best young basketball players in the country. He won several national player of the year awards. He also played in the famous McDonald's All-American Game.

In college, Wiseman joined the Memphis Tigers to play for Coach Hardaway again. However, he faced a challenge early on. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) suspended him. This was because they believed Coach Hardaway had helped Wiseman's family move to Memphis in 2017. This kind of help was against NCAA rules. After playing only a few games, James decided to leave college. He wanted to get ready for the 2020 NBA draft.

In the 2020 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors picked him as the second overall player. He won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022. Even though he was injured and didn't play in any games that season, he was part of the winning team. Later, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2023. In 2024, he joined 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 about 200 pounds. He played alongside Jordan Bone, who also later became an NBA player.

In his second year (sophomore season) in 2016–17, James helped Ensworth reach the semifinals of the Tennessee state championship. He averaged around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was recognized as a top sophomore player.

In 2017, Wiseman joined Team Penny, a special basketball team for young players. This team was started by former NBA player Penny Hardaway. Later that year, James moved to Memphis East High School. Penny Hardaway became the head coach there.

At first, the Tennessee sports association (TSSAA) said James couldn't play. They thought there was a special connection between him and Coach Hardaway. But later, he was allowed to play. During his junior year, James became the top-ranked player in his class by ESPN. On March 17, 2018, he led Memphis East to win 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 felt the school helped him improve a lot. In March 2019, he had an amazing game with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 blocks. This helped his team win a regional championship. Memphis East finished as state runners-up that year. In his final high school game, James scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had five blocks.

After his senior season, where he averaged 25.8 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 5.5 blocks, he received many honors. 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. He played in several important games for top high school players, like the McDonald's All-American Game.

College Basketball Experience

Many experts believed 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 due to an ankle injury.

On November 5, James made his official college debut. He scored 28 points, had 11 rebounds, and three blocks in just 22 minutes. His team, the Memphis Tigers, won the game 97–64.

However, on November 8, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) said James was not allowed to play. The University of Memphis explained that Coach Penny Hardaway had paid $11,500 to help James and his family move to Memphis in 2017. The NCAA saw this as Coach Hardaway acting like a "booster," which is against their rules.

A judge temporarily allowed James to keep playing. He played in another game, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds. His lawyers tried to fight the NCAA's decision. On November 20, the NCAA ruled that James could return to play on January 12. But he had to sit out 12 games and donate $11,500 to a charity.

On December 19, 2019, after missing seven games, James Wiseman decided to leave the University of Memphis. He chose to hire an agent and prepare for the 2020 NBA draft. This decision ended his college career early.

Professional Basketball 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, had six rebounds, and two steals. However, the Warriors lost to the Brooklyn Nets.

On January 27, 2021, James scored his highest points of the season, with 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 part of his knee called the meniscus. He had surgery on April 15 and missed the rest of the season.

On March 9, 2022, Wiseman was sent to the Santa Cruz Warriors. This is a team in the NBA G League, which is like a minor league for the NBA. He played games there to get back into shape. He was called back to Golden State, but then sent back to Santa Cruz. On March 19, he had another problem with his knee recovery and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Even though he was injured, James won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022. They defeated the Boston Celtics in six games.

On July 10, 2022, James Wiseman returned from his injury in the 2022 NBA Summer League. He scored 11 points, had two rebounds, and two blocks in a close win. On December 21, James scored a career-high 30 points in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. On December 30, 2022, he sprained his ankle during a practice game and missed several more games.

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 in a loss to the Boston Celtics.

Indiana Pacers (2024–present)

On July 5, 2024, James Wiseman signed a two-year contract with the Indiana Pacers.

On October 23, in the first game of the season against the Detroit Pistons, James suffered a serious injury. He tore his left Achilles tendon.

Playing for Team USA

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

Career Statistics

NBA

College

See also

In Spanish: James Wiseman para niños