James Wiseman was supposed to play another G League game but Warriors staff are concerned after he showed signs of knee swelling. He has played just 39 games over the past two seasons.
James Wiseman seemed all but ready to make his long-awaited comeback to the Warriors after playing in three G-League games this month, only to be shut down again due to swelling in his right knee.
News of the latest setback for the 20-year-old Wiseman -- who hasn’t played since suffering a torn meniscus last April during his rookie season -- has head coach Steve Kerr deflated. Besides the Warriors’ need for another big man down the stretch and in the playoffs, Kerr lamented the “lapse” in Wiseman’s rehab after seeing him work so hard to come back.
“I just feel so bad for James,” Kerr said in an interview with 95.7 The Game on Thursday. “He’s just worked so hard and done such a great job of keeping his spirits up, and then to have this lapse where we’ve got to pull back the reins a little bit, but what I consistently remind him of is he’s got a long career ahead of him.”
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Kerr admitted that reminding Wiseman of his long career ahead “doesn’t make it any easier for him” right now.
But he stressed: “We just have to make sure we do everything right with the knee right now and ensure that he’s healthy for the long term. That’s the main goal.”
Wiseman was drawing positive reviews from his G-League rehab games, but his status for the remainder of the season is up in the air. When asked how Wiseman is handling the situation mentally, Kerr applauded the youngster for his positivity.
“He’s really mature for someone his age,” Kerr said. “He has handled everything really well. He brings great energy to the gym every day. He’s got a smile on his face.”
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Related: Pessimism is justified after Wiseman's latest setback
Kerr added that all the team can do is give Wiseman all the support he needs, and conversely all Wiseman can do is lean on the training staff and teammates.
“I love James,” Kerr said. “I love being around him. I love his demeanor, his willingness to get better, his desire to get better, to put in the work. You just want to see it come to fruition with his health. We still think that’s going to happen, but I just feel so bad for him that it hasn’t happened yet.”