Aaron Wiggins Continues to Emerge as OKC Thunder Sixth Man in Minnesota Win

Oklahoma City's Aaron Wiggins turned in another strong performance off the bench in the team's win against Minnesota on Sunday night.

Feb 13, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) dribbles around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the first quarter at Target Center. / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a deep roster armed with some of the best young talent in the NBA.

Aside from MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and rising star Chet Holmgren, the team also boasts a number of solid decision makers, perimeter shooters and defenders.

Yet, coming into the season, the Thunder didn't have a certified scorer off the bench. Isaiah Joe has served as the team's primary sixth man throughout his time with the Thunder, even logging a few starts in the group's 2024 playoff run.

This year, however, former second round pick Aaron Wiggins has started to take the reigns as OKC's sixth man. The fourth-year veteran has improved as a scorer and is averaging a career-high 11 points per game in 2024-25.

Recently, though, Wiggins has turned out multiple dazzling performances, including a 41-point, 14-rebounding showing in a win against the Sacramento Kings. The former Maryland standout has scored in double figures in each of his last 10 games, with the most recent coming in Sunday night's win against Minnesota.

Wiggins scored 15 points, shooting 4-of-6 from the floor and 4-for-4 from beyond the arc to help Oklahoma City pull out a crucial victory in Minnesota. On the season, the Thunder wing is shooting 49.9% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc.

If Wiggins is able to continue producing consistently off the bench, then he will likely cement himself as the team's sixth man.

Of course, Joe, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and other members of the team's bench unit will still be key contributors, but Wiggins' elevated play this season has helped him grow into a role for the Thunder.

In addition to Wiggins' growth, an early season injury to Ajay Mitchell also helped clear a path for Wiggins to develop into the team's primary bench scorer. While Wiggins may have take over the role regardless of Mitchell's status, the rookie showed that he was also a scoring threat off the bench.

If Wiggins can continue to provide an offensive punch off the bench for Mark Daigneault and company, it would be a massive boost for the team when the postseason begins.

At 26-years-old, Wiggins is enjoying the best stretch of his career after earning a five-year, $45 million contract over the offseason. The Thunder will meet Minnesota again on Monday night, this time at the Paycom Center, for what should be another entertaining contest.

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