Injuries force Aaron Wiggins into a bigger role, overwhelming his skills and impacting his shooting. Discover how his game has transformed this season.
Oklahoma City scored 67 points in the first half against Golden State, and the game looked like it was getting out of hand. However, the Thunder managed a mere 37 points in the second half and barely eked out a win.
The reigning champs badly needed someone to step up and score with so many key players injured. Aaron Wiggins was a prime candidate, but he contributed just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field across 28 minutes.
Wiggins’ scoring woes are nothing new. He’s posting career-low marks in effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. Since Dec. 1, the Maryland product has averaged 9.5 points per game on 41/34/75 shooting splits.
Perhaps it’s simply a down season for him. Players of all calibers eventually have a season where shots do not fall. For example, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s efficiency numbers in 2022 were brutal. Although this explanation probably accounts for a large chunk of Wiggins’ struggles, there are other factors holding him down.
Oklahoma City routinely plays games without some of its best playmakers because Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Hartenstein have been on the injury report consistently. As a result, the Thunder’s offense tasks Wiggins with more self-created possessions than usual. Basketball Index’s metric On-Ball Action Share measures “the proportion of the team’s on-ball actions a player commands while on the court.” Wiggins is at 18.9% this season, which would comfortably be a new career high. He was at 13.3% last season and 8.7% in 2024.
Essentially, Wiggins handles the basketball at a higher rate and must therefore create from scratch against set defenses rather than attacking closeouts or knocking down catch-and-shoot jumpers. This has led to an undesirable change in his shot diet.
28.6% of his three-point attempts this season have come from the corners, which is a career low. Wiggins is also averaging the fewest rim attempts per 75 possessions since his rookie season because his cuts are reduced and he’s not shifty enough to beat defenders off the bounce to get to the rim. Wiggins’ two-point efficiency plunge this season is largely due to this change.
Overall, his numbers are down across the board because injuries have thrust him into a role that does not maximize his skill set. He’s biting off more than he can chew. Look for Wiggins to bounce back once the team gets healthy and he returns to being a catch-and-shoot and cut threat who occasionally beats a rotating defender off the dribble. Seeing more time with Gilgeous-Alexander would certainly help. Wiggins has played 37.4% of his minutes with Gilgeous-Alexander this season compared to 46.8% last season.