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The Golden State Warriors were the team to beat a few years ago. But the departure of Kevin Durant and season-ending injuries to the likes of Steph Curry (who did return late in the campaign) and Klay Thompson put a halt to their dominance last campaign.
With Klay Thompson ruled out for the season, the Golden State Warriors took a hit even before their 2020-21 campaign commenced. However, they have managed to hold onto a play-in tournament spot; they are ninth in the Western Conference standings.
Nevertheless, it hasn't been an easy season for the Golden State Warriors, as they have had to deal with short-term injuries as well, which has seen their season record slip to 23-24.
On that note, let's have a look at three underrated players on the Golden State Warriors roster this season.
Three underrated players on the Golden State Warriors roster this season:
While Steph Curry and Draymond Green have kept the Golden State Warriors afloat with their experience and game-winning performances, there have been a few other players who have also made vital contributions this season.
Most of these young players haven't received much attention, which is quite unreasonable considering how well they have performed this season.
On that note, we take a look at three such Golden State Warriors players who have operated under the radar.
#1 Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins has been a solid performer for the Golden State Warriors this season. However, the amount of criticism he has received for being a number one pick in the draft often overshadows how good he has been for the dubs' in this difficult campaign.
Wiggins is averaging 18.2 points per game so far, shooting a career-best 47% from the field, including a 39.7% clip from downtown (also career-best). He has provided depth to the Golden State Warriors on that front. His performances of late have been phenomenal, too, especially in the five games where Curry was ruled out because of injury.
Andrew Wiggins managed a minimum of 25.8 points per game during that stretch, anchoring the Golden State Warriors' offense in the absence of their talisman.
#2 Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole is another young player who has thrived for the Golden State Warriors, especially in the last month. He averaged a whopping 18.5 points per contest and was one of the best players during the five-game absence of Steph Curry.
His performances off the bench are a welcome sign for the Golden State Warriors, who haven't had enough reliable role players so far. Poole is turning out to be a reliable player for the Warriors and will be crucial for their playoff hopes this season.
He is second on the Golden State Warriors' player efficiency ratings behind Curry at 18.39. It is surprising to see how less he was talked about in the last week or so, despite his remarkable outings for Steve Kerr's side.
#3 James Wiseman
For someone who is playing in his debut season at the tender age of 19, James Wiseman has had to go through a lot of criticism after a slow start to his NBA career. However, he has picked it up lately, but as the no. 2 draft pick, the expectations on him have often put a lot of pressure on his young shoulders.
Along with the criticism, Wiseman also had to endure a long-term injury a few weeks ago, which kept him out of action for a while. For a rookie, an injury in his first season can hurt his confidence, but not for Wiseman, who has made a solid comeback and is performing every night with the same energy.
His game has constantly been evolving, as seen in the last few weeks. If given enough time and support, Wiseman could flourish like LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards have this season.
Wiseman has now become a starter for the Golden State Warriors, and it will be exciting to see how this move helps him in shaping his career moving forward.
