“A lot of people had counted me out … It makes the story that much better” - Former #1 pick opens up on the ups and downs in his career and excitement of winning an NBA title

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins made one of the most sensational comebacks last season. Wiggins was on the receiving end of heavy criticism after failing to live up to expectations as a former #1 pick.

He didn't have many winning seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. His first entire season in Golden State wasn't great either. However, the Canadian rejuvenated himself last year, bagging his first NBA All-Star selection as a starter from the Western Conference. He also won his first chip.

Looking back on the ups and downs of his career and the excitement of winning a championship, Andrew Wiggins told The Toronto Star:

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs. A lot of people had counted me out,” Wiggins said, “but to be back and … winning a championship? All the sacrifices, all the ups and downs, all the stuff was worth it. It makes the story that much better.”

Wiggins was never just along for the ride during the Warriors' return to the top. He was their second-best player behind Steph Curry. Wiggins was the most consistent two-way player against the Boston Celtics. He averaged 18.3 points per game and was the leading rebounder at 8.8 rebounds across the six-game series. He was also responsible for neutralizing Jayson Tatum's threat.

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Defending NBA champs, Golden State Warriors opt to keep Andrew Wiggins in the final year of his contract

Andrew Wiggins is in the final year of his current deal with the Golden State Warriors. The All-Star forward arguably deserves a max contract, but it remains to be seen if the Warriors can offer him one. The Warriors have four players eligible for an extension, including Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Wiggins.

The Dubs had the largest payroll in NBA history last season, spending over $350 million, including taxes. They had to let go of players like Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr this offseason. It wasn't viable for them to offer expensive deals to those contributors.

Meanwhile, the Warriors may not be able to afford to offer Thompson, Green, Poole and Wiggins the contracts they could demand. They reportedly aren't willing to offer Draymond a max deal.

However, they have had initial interactions with Andrew Wiggins. At 27, keeping Wiggins long-term makes sense for the Warriors. He has adapted well to the Warriors setup and proved his potential in the Finals last year. There aren't many two-way players like him in the league.

It will be interesting to see if the Warriors stick to their old guard and continue to invest in their veteran superstars or make a bold call by extending Poole and Wiggins.