Wiseman learning how to be “up to touch”: “My rookie year, I was in a drop”

[from morning shootaround at Utah]

James Wiseman was made available to media at morning shootaround before the Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz game. Below are partial transcriptions. Main takeaways and highlights of the interview as “Nevada” by YoungBoy Never Broke Again blared in the background:

• In his rookie year he was in drop coverage a lot when defending pick-and-roll sets. Now he’s being asked to be “up to touch” on the screen, so it’s been an adjustment.

• “Every time I put pressure on the rim, somebody’s open.”

• Playing 25-28 minutes per game allowed him to play through his mistakes.

• He’s definitely enjoying the bigger, softer beds being with the Big Squad. He said the hotel rooms during the G League stint were small and he was “not doing nothing”.

• He got accidentally spit on by a reporter due to close proximities during the interview, where it was apparently hard to hear James with the loud music.

As far as this website, there’s been a ton of notes, quotes and videos since the Houston Rockets game — outside of the Chicago Bulls game which did get posted — that never made it here, so I’m still trying to figure out long-term workflow strategy as the YouTube channel is still the main place for content. I might shorten the posts a bit and make them more frequent.

WISE FROM MORNING SHOOTAROUND

DISCLAIMER: These are all just notes for my main workflow of YouTube videos, tweeted by beatwriters, as listed, or transcribed by me. I used to transcribe every interview but it became too tedious and not worth the investment for the small amount of views we got on the soundbites on YouTube. The links to the tweets are not available because sometimes I don’t use the full tweet and just having a ton of tweets on this website imo isn’t aesthetically pleasing and gets away from the main goal: transferring information (not so much entertainment) to the brains of DubNation asap.

• James Wiseman at morning shooting on his stint in G League [Malika Andrews, Kendra Andrews, Ron Kroichick and Madeline Kenney]: “Just getting 1% better each day…small details…screening…getting to the dunker spot…protecting the rim which I’m getting better at…That was love right there…I had too much fun…working on my game.” (me)

• On if he’s been told if he’ll be back in G League: “It’s up to the coaches…just working on just getting better.” (me/Ron Kroichick)

• On being grateful: “I don’t think it’s a demotion. It’s an opportunity…Being in a small hotel room and not doing nothing, I’m just grateful to be back up here, to be in a big ass hotel again, to be in a great bed again that’s soft.” (Kendra Andrews, me)

• On the differences between GSW and The G: “It’s more individual work (in G League).” (me)

• On IQ and rhythm: “That’s gonna come with time…rhythm and confidence.” (me/Madeline Kenney)

• On similarity between G and GSW: “Every time I put pressure on the rim somebody’s open…I was able to play through my mistakes.” (me/Kendra Andrews)

• On defense: “My defense got way better down there because I’m like more up to touch. I’ve kinda been in the drop a lot and it’s kinda been like messing me up a little bit. So just trying to learn how to be up to touch. My rookie year I was in a drop so they just kinda changed it up, so I’m kinda adjusting on the fly, but I’ma get it. I’ma get it. It’s all gonna come together eventually.” (me/Ron Kroichick)

• On any message from teammates: “You really just gotta have fun with this.” (me/Madeline Kenney)

• On anything else he wants to add: “Yeah, Merry Christmas. Even though it’s not even here yet.” (me/Madeline Kenney)

👍👍💛💙