James Wiseman Receives Critical Criticism

James Wiseman hasn't lived up to his 2020 NBA Draft selection. Taken by the Golden State Warriors at No.2 overall, the Memphis alum averaged 9.9 points and five rebounds in 60 games with the Stephen Curry-led team. ESPN podcast The Hoops Collective, hosted by Brian Windhorst, featured a 2020 NBA re-draft, with the Warriors' first-round selection receiving maximum criticism.

However, the current Indiana Pacers backup center was not widely questioned by the league during the lead-up to the 2020 NBA Draft. Nonetheless, Tim Bontemps made a blunt comment with a hint of revisionist history.

"There was talk at the time about them considering Tyrese Haliburton with this pick. They certainly should have done that," Bontempts' claimed . "Should have gone in basically any direction but James Wiseman, who has been a bust of pretty epic proportions. Some of it his fault. Some of it not."

Haliburton went No. 12 in the 2020 NBA Draft. To say the Warriors should have taken the future Pacers All-Star guard is to say 10 other teams should have made the same decision. Frankly, most scouts didn't see Haliburton as an All-Star player, but they did see him as a more developed player than Wiseman.

Nonetheless, Wiseman only played three games for Memphis University. But to his credit, the highly touted prospect made noise leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft.

While he didn't work as a star, especially for a loaded team such as the Warriors, Wiseman has a shot at career redemption with the Pacers.

Related: James Wiseman Wins Offseason Championship

However, Wiseman won't need to play like a star for the Pacers to win like the Warriors. In the same breath, as a team lacking size, Wiseman's play will influence Indiana's chances as a legitimate team with depth in the frontcourt.