Fansided

James Wiseman proves worthy of all the hype in Memphis debut

By Brandon Jefferson

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 20: James Wiseman #32 warms up at halftime of the Jordan Brand Classic boys high school all-star basketball game at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 20: James Wiseman #32 warms up at halftime of the Jordan Brand Classic boys high school all-star basketball game at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Memphis Tigers brought in the No.1 recruiting class headlined by top recruit, James Wiseman, who aced his first test and is a bonafide college basketball star.

A lot of attention is going to be paid to what happens with the Memphis Tigers this season thanks to the loaded group of freshmen that they got to commit to the program.

Getting James Wiseman to sign on the dotted was one of the biggest moments in the history of Memphis basketball. Penny Hardaway was brought in as head coach for this exact reason. In his first go-around, he was able to snatch the most heralded recruit in the country away from other top programs.

After months of anticipation, Wiseman finally got to suit up in a Tigers uniform for the first time last night when they opened the 2019 season against South Carolina State. All the freshman did was post 28 points–the second most of all-time by an ESPN number one recruit (R.J. Barrett, 33 points)–11 rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes.

This matchup couldn’t have been more favorable for the 7-foot-1 freshman. The Bulldogs only have one player on their roster taller than 6-foot-8 (6-foot-10 Elafayette Stone who played five minutes total). All Wiseman needed to do was rim-run, catch lobs and stick around the rim and good things were bound to happen for Memphis.

He looked like a man amongst boys all night long. It was as simple as just reaching his arms in the air and grabbing the ball on some of his scores. His first two baskets were emphatic finishes right at the basket, which set the tone for the Tigers’ play the rest of the game.

Wiseman will have all eyes on him every time he sets foot on the floor. Thankfully Memphis surrounded him with other elite talents to ease the burden. The early returns are satisfying for everyone. He looks like a full-on superstar just one game into his college career. The inconsistent play and lackadaisical approach are seemingly a thing of the past now.

One of the knocks on his game was that he often shied away from contact and didn’t always use his size to his advantage. He had a noticeably more muscular build then he sported in high school and his approach was also very different. He played within himself, took the looks the defense gave him and when he had a mismatch he punished the defender in the paint.

A nice cherry on top was making six of seven free-throw attempts, showcasing his soft touch and smooth shooting stroke. We will see if that fluidity extends to behind the arc as well. However, without many opponents possessing players with his size, we might not see him show off that part of his game often.

Memphis has a big matchup against the Oregon Ducks on the horizon (Tuesday, Nov. 12) and another performance like this from Wiseman will go a long way towards silencing anyone that doubts his status as the projected top pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

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