Profile
Lindell Wigginton
Iowa State
Guard
6’2″, 190 pounds
6’3″ 1/2 wingspan
Projection: Late First to Early Second
Strengths
Wigginton is a freakishly athletic, scoring guard. He is a fluid athlete, with elite leaping ability; he is a highlight dunk waiting to happen. Wigginton is prolific in transition as a scorer and a passer. He has a quick first step to get by defenders. Wigginton has very nice touch and feel on his floaters. He gets to the free throw line at a very good rate and draws contact well (5.2 FTA), and has a whole back of tricks when it comes to finishing at the rim. He is excellent off the ball as well as well; his cuts are lethal.
Wigginton is a very good shooter and shot creator from all over the floor. He is ok on catch and shoot attempts, but an excellent three-point shooter off of the bounce. This season, he shot a high percentage from three (40.1%) on high volume (5.5 threes per game). Wigginton’s mid-range game is great; he uses crisp footwork and creative ball handling to make space in the mid-range to get his shot off. He gets good elevation on his shot form and has a quick release. His vision is great in transition. He doesn’t turn the ball over much (15.8 TOV%) despite his high usage rate (28.4%).
Wigginton is a very willing and capable defensive player. He has quick feet, stays in a stance for the whole possession, and has good hands. He is a competitor, and always wants to guard the opposing team’s best player. His athleticism allows him to recover when he gets beat. He is active on the glass and a good rebounder for a guard (3.7 RBPG). Wigginton is a fierce competitor, a hard worker, and will get you buckets in bunches.
Weaknesses
Wigginton’s size (6’2″, 190 pounds) and small wingspan will hold him back in the NBA. He struggles with finishing against long and athletic defenders and struggles to finish through contact. His wingspan allows players to shoot over him. His lack of core strengths allows drives with little resistance given. He is undersized to play the two but is not a true point guard. He was forced to play a lot of point due to injuries in college. His vision is unspectacular and he often neglects the easy pass in favor of a tough shot. He doesn’t elevate his teammates in the half court.
His shooting is occasionally streaky, and his mechanics can be inconsistent from shot to shot. He tries to force the issue too often, resulting in wild misses. Wigginton is prone to a lot of fouls and shoots below average at the free throw (66%) line for a primary ball handler.
Best NBA Fits
Golden State Warriors
The rich keep getting richer with this pick right here. Golden State could absolutely afford to gamble on a guy like Wigginton late in the first round. Wigginton would not be asked to play impact minutes for the Warriors. He would be able to develop under an elite point guard, an excellent coaching staff, and in a low-pressure situation. All the Warriors would ask him to do would be to come off of the bench and get buckets, which he is built to do. If his point guard skills take off, he could even become a long-term option if their core four goes their separate ways.
Memphis Grizzlies
This season has been a complete and utter disaster for the Grizzlies. They have the lowest scoring offense in the NBA this season (98.7 PPG), and the third lowest three-point percentage (34.8%). The Grizzlies don’t have an elite scoring guard on the roster, and Wigginton could come in and provide some instant offense. He would learn under Mike Conley, who is one of the most effective an efficient floor generals in the NBA. Besides Andrew Harrison and Wayne Selden, the Grizzlies are devoid of young talent at the guard position. Wigginton could provide a great spark off of the bench as a sixth man, or even start some games if Conley reinjures himself or Memphis can’t buy a bucket.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have the fourth worst three-point percentage this season (34.9%). Trey Burke has been great, but can he keep up his hot scoring streak next year? The Knicks lack a great scoring guard, and Wigginton could come in and score. He has never had a dominant big man like Porzingis; Wigginton could cut off of Porzingis for easy scores all day.
Overview
Wigginton unexpectedly decided to “test the NBA draft waters” after a good freshman season; he may not declare. After an injury to Iowa State’s starting point guard, Wigginton took a lot of minutes at the lead guard role. Although he struggled to be an effective playmaker, the challenge granted good experience for the young guard. His combination of small size and lack of point guard skills will hurt him against the length and athleticism of the NBA, but he will be able to score effectively day one. His scoring ability, toughness, and athleticism could have him an NBA home as early as the late first round. Lindell Wigginton is a major sleeper, a player you must keep your eye on as the draft nears.
Ben Pfeifer is the Managing Editor of the Colts for Full Press Coverage, the AFC South Division Editor, and head NBA editor. Want to continue the discussion? Contact Ben Pfeifer on Twitter @Ben_Pfeifer_, @FPC_NBA and @FPC_Colts.
