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Steve Kerr Shares Thoughts on Facing Andrew Wiggins for First Time Since Trade to Heat

The Warriors traded Andrew Wiggins as part of their move to acquire Jimmy Butler.

Eva Geitheim

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) hugs head coach Steve Kerr.
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) hugs head coach Steve Kerr. / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
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Tuesday not only marks the first time that Jimmy Butler will face the Miami Heat since the team traded him to the Golden State Warriors, but the first time the Warriors will see Andrew Wiggins since trading him to Miami so they could acquire Butler.

Wiggins, a former No. 1 pick in the draft, was a key starter on the Warriors for five years. He played an especially important role in the Warriors NBA championship win over the Boston Celtics in 2022. During that series, Wiggins helped guard Celtics' star Jayson Tatum, led the Warriors in rebounds, blocks, and finished second on the team in scoring.

Ahead of Tuesday's game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said on 95.7 The Game that he "can't wait" to see Wiggins again. “We can’t wait to see him (Wiggins) tomorrow and hopefully he doesn’t give us 42 (points), but I root for that guy and I will for the rest of his career… Everybody loves Wiggs. Just an incredible human being and we miss him around here."

“Wiggs is one of my favorite guys," Kerr also said in the lead-up to the game, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "I wish we still had Miami in the Bay, so that will have to wait until next year. Wiggs will get an enormous standing ovation when he returns to the Bay in front of our fans, both for his contributions and just for his humanity—who he is, what kind of person he is. He's beloved in our locker room and throughout the Bay. 

Wiggins expressed similar positive sentiments toward reuniting with Kerr and the Warriors.

“It’ll be good to see those guys,” Wiggins said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s all love. I love those guys. I had a great time over there. Great people, great organization. Obviously we have a competitive game to play, but I’m looking forward to it.”

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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