While everyone is losing their minds watching Jonathan Kuminga flourish in Atlanta like a plant that finally got some sunlight, let’s redirect some of that energy toward another former Golden State lottery pick who deserves our attention. We’re talking about James Wiseman, the #2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, a spot higher than Kuminga’s #7. Yes, that James Wiseman. The one you thought had quietly faded from basketball’s radar after stops in Detroit and Indiana. He hasn’t. And last Thursday night
in Oceanside, California, he reminded us he’s still out here competing.
Wiseman was named to Team USA’s roster for FIBA World Cup qualifying, part of the long road toward the 2027 Men’s World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Just getting this call was a statement. After tearing his Achilles with Indiana in October 2024, getting traded to Toronto, getting waived, re-signing with the Pacers, and getting released again in January, the man has lived more basketball lifetimes than most players twice his age. And yet, here he was, suiting up for his country. That alone deserves respect.
Then the game happened.
Team USA fell to the Dominican Republic 87-79 to open Window 2 of qualifying, and Wiseman’s night reflected the team’s broader struggles. He played 24 minutes, finished with 9 points on 4-of-9 shooting, and pulled down 6 rebounds. Solid enough production. But the 0-of-1 from three and just 1-of-2 at the free throw line showed a player still searching for his rhythm and confidence in a new environment. His plus-minus of minus-4 mirrored the team’s collective disorganization. He was right there in the middle of a rough night.
The bigger story was Team USA’s catastrophic first quarter. Eight turnovers. A 21-10 deficit after ten minutes. The offense looked like it was buffering. Coach Paul Silas described it as the team being “a little tight,” which is the coaching equivalent of saying a building was “a little on fire.” Brandon Knight eventually led the comeback charge with 20 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter alone, but the damage was already done. The Dominican Republic’s 16 offensive rebounds essentially buried the Americans.
Here’s the thing about Wiseman though. This loss doesn’t define the opportunity. It just adds another chapter to a story that refuses to wrap up neatly. The guy was drafted ahead of LaMelo Ball, Patrick Williams, and Tyrese Haliburton. The expectation weight alone would crush most people. Yet he keeps showing up.
Team USA hosts Mexico next, and Wiseman gets another shot to remind everyone why he was worth that second overall pick in the first place. He might not be back in the NBA right now, but he’s not done. Not even close.
The road to Doha is long. So is Wiseman’s comeback story. I’m rooting for this former Dub to make his home country proud and do his job in willing his team to victory. He can still run the floor like a gazelle after recovering from his Achilles’ tear, he’s still over 7-feet, and he’s only 24 years old. Call me a fool, but I believe there’s something to be salvaged in his young, tortured career.
