Golden State Warriors guard/small forward Andrew Wiggins is the 14th Kansas Jayhawk men’s basketball player — the fifth in the 20-year Bill Self era — to win an NBA championship.
Wiggins’ 18-point, six-rebound, five-assist effort, combined with his defense on Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, helped the Warriors defeat the Celtics 103-90 in the decisive Game 6 of The Finals on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston.
Wiggins’ performance, combined with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists from Finals MVP Steph Curry, 15 points from Jordan Poole and 12 points apiece from Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, assured Golden State Thursday’s victory and a 4-2 win in the series.
Wiggins, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound eight-year pro played at KU for one season before being selected first overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Now 27, Wiggins is the first former KU player to earn an NBA title ring since Markieff Morris, whose Los Angeles Lakers won it all in 2020.
Other KU players to win NBA crowns include Self-era players Wayne Simien (2006, Miami), Mario Chalmers (2012, 2013, Miami Heat), Brandon Rush (2015 Golden State Warriors) and Sasha Kaun (2016 Cleveland Cavs).
KU’s other NBA champs: Clyde Lovellette (1954 Minneapolis Lakers, 1963 and ’64 Boston Celtics), Maurice King (1960 Boston Celtics), Wilt Chamberlain (1967 Philadelphia 76ers, 1972 Los Angeles Lakers), Jo Jo White (1974 Boston Celtics, 1976 Boston Celtics), Bill Bridges (1975 Golden State Warriors), Jacque Vaughn (2007 San Antonio Spurs), Paul Pierce (2008 Boston Celtics) and Scot Pollard (2008 Boston Celtics).
KU legends Chamberlain (1972), White (1976) and Pierce (2008) were also named NBA Finals Most Valuable Players.
Wiggins averaged 18.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists in The Finals. He had 26 points and 13 rebounds in Game 5 and also had 17 points and 16 rebounds in Game 4.
For the year, Wiggins averaged 17.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He was an All-Star for the first time in his career. In fact, he was a starter in the game.
“Glory to God. This is a dream come true,” Wiggins said after Thursday’s clinching game in an interview on ABC. “I wouldn’t be here without my teammates and everybody around me. I’m enjoying the moment. I’m loving it.”
Asked why he was a “perfect fit” with Golden State, a team that acquired him in a trade with Minnesota during the 2019-20 season, Wiggins said: “I want to win, That’s what they do here at Golden State. They win.”
He said winning it all was the culmination of “hard work. This is every day preparing yourself. What we do in November, December, January prepares us for this moment in June. I’m thankful for those guys (teammates).”
KU coach Self commented about Wiggins’ performance before the tipoff of Game 5.
“You can make a case he’s been Golden State’s second-best player in the playoffs.” Self said. “No doubt who No. 1 is (Curry) and it’s been a distant second, but you can make a case he has been that. I’m really happy for him.”
Self noted that “people forget ‘Wiggs’ has averaged 19 (points a game) for his career. He’s had a great, not an All-Star multiple times-type career, but a great career. There’d be a lot of people love to have a guy that averages 19 a game you could pencil in.”
Wiggins has career averages of 19.3 points and 4.4 rebounds during the regular season.
Asked if anything in Wiggins’ postseason run surprised him, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said: “Just the rebounding. Everything else, he’s always scored well since he’s been in this league, he’s been a good defensive player. He’s really established with us over the last couple years that he’s a key defender for us. So none of that has surprised me.
“The rebounding surprised me. He’s really turned it up in every series. I’m 100% going to hold that against him next year in the regular season. If he’s not rebounding, I’m going to remind him he’s proven it now so there’s no excuse,” Kerr added, smiling.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 5:00 AM.
