Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins Returns to Practice After Absence for Personal Reasons

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIMarch 5, 2024

Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has returned to team activities after missing four games for personal reasons.

ESPN’s Kendra Andrews posted video of Wiggins participating in Tuesday’s practice.

Kendra Andrews @kendra__andrewsAndrew Wiggins has returned to practice after missing the last week due to a personal family matter. pic.twitter.com/oYyE3DSHxP

The 29-year-old Wiggins is in his 10th NBA season and fifth with the Warriors after spending the first half of his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’s averaged 12.7 points on 45.5 percent shooting and 4.3 rebounds in 27.2 minutes over 51 games (40 starts).

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Wiggins returned to the team Monday and will suit up Wednesday when Golden State hosts the Milwaukee Bucks. He added that Wiggins will most likely start but that his minutes load hasn’t been decided yet.

Wiggins has played a key role in helping the Warriors bounce back from a league-worst 15-50 record in 2019-20, one season after a five-year stretch in which they won three NBA titles.

He was particularly exceptional in the 2022 NBA Finals, finishing second on the team in scoring (18.3 PPG) and first in rebounding (8.8 RPG). Wiggins also started in the All-Star Game during the 2021-22 season.

Last year was a trying one for Wiggins, who missed a month with a right adductor strain before sitting the final 25 regular-season games of the 2022-23 campaign due to a personal matter. He returned for the playoffs.

Now Wiggins returns for a Warriors team that has played well of late (11-3 in its last 14) but just lost 140-88 to the Boston Celtics. A test against the second-place Milwaukee Bucks won’t be easy, but having Wiggins back should help matters as Golden State looks to bounce back from a brutal defeat.