Aaron Wiggins Fighting For Deserved Playing Time

Oklahoma's second year wing from Maryland is showing he belongs early on.

Oklahoma City has a multitude of young prospects needing time on the floor to develop, so minute distribution is understandably difficult. One player who certainly looks like he belongs on the court, though, is second year wing Aaron Wiggins.

Even though he’s been cold to start the year, he just fits in well with Oklahoma City’s creative guards. Wiggins is a great off-ball cutter and a smart all-around player.

Tuesday was the Maryland product’s first start of the season, and he registered a double double in 28 minutes. Wiggins contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, helping in all aspects of the game. Once he settles in with consistent minutes and a free-flowing rhythm, he could be a very useful player for this young Thunder team.

Wiggins fits in well with Oklahoma City’s young core as he has potential to turn into an elite fast break player. He continues to show glimpses of speed with the ball in his hands, and typically finishes well through contact. Running the floor is an underrated part of his game, and he’ll have lots of opportunities to showcase it with guards like Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Aaron Wiggins got his first start this season and had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three steals in 28 minutes of a win over the Clippers. Lots of upside with him. He looks bigger.pic.twitter.com/3i2gaNKV8r

— Jeff Ermann (@Jeff_Ermann) October 26, 2022

Oklahoma City has a variety of young guards, but a 3-and-D wing would be a perfect addition to the core. With what Wiggins has shown so far, he has potential to be just that moving forward. His athleticism and length make him a unique defender, and he can start the break himself on any steal or deflection.

After summer league and the preseason, Wiggins was expected to be one of the Thunder’s most efficient shooters from 3-point range. So far this season, he’s connected on just one-of-five attempts in a short sample size. He’ll continue to get open looks as the season goes on, and Oklahoma City desperately needs outside shooting. As long as he continues to find his spots on the floor and shoot the ball with confidence, Wiggins will be fine.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.