2024-25 Thunder player grades: Aaron Wiggins

USA Today

6 days ago

The calendar has flipped to August, which means we've officially hit the low point of the NBA cycle. The next couple of months are the driest part of the year. Everybody has headed to vacation and awaits training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season campaign that eventually led to the franchise's first title with a 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 win. They'll enter next season as a favorite to be a rare repeat winner.
To reflect on their title run, Thunder Wire will conduct 2024-25 season grades for all 19 players who suited up for the squad at one point during the year. Eighth up is Aaron Wiggins, who had a career season off the bench:
2024-25 statistics:
Advanced stats:
Significant Percentile Finishes:
Contract:
Thoughts:
Being the talk of training camp, a lot was made about Wiggins. The Thunder begged him to do more. They saw his efficiency stats since his arrival and believed he could handle a larger workload. Boy, they were right. The 26-year-old joined the long list of OKC role players who had a career season last year.
After dealing with an inconsistent role his first three seasons, Wiggins blossomed into a microwave scorer. He had career highs across the board. It was the first time he's averaged double-digit points. It was the most minutes he's averaged since his rookie season.
Despite a historic season, the Thunder still had some roster flaws they had to work through. One being a lack of a bench ball-handler. Wiggins helped mitigate that problem. There were times you could argue he was OKC's third-best go-to scorer behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. He can create his own buckets. His drives to the baskets resulted in fancy finishes through defenses.
The outside shot was also a friend to Wiggins. He could catch fire in a hurry. He was one of the Thunder's better catch-and-shoot options. He also showed he didn't need to be set up by shooting off the dribble. After averaging less than two 3-pointers the last two seasons, he exploded for nearly five attempts a game this season. Exactly what OKC hoped for.
While the numbers dipped in the playoffs, that comes with the territory. Wiggins' production might've been slashed in half, but he remained in the Thunder's rotation. He had his moments throughout the postseason as somebody who scored a big bucket when OKC's offense dried up. All those points were valuable in the close wins he helped them get.
When Wiggins got into a groove, he was unstoppable. He had zero 30-plus point games in his first three seasons. He had three this year alone. That includes a career-high 41 points. There are some nights when he looks closer to an All-Star than a role player. That's how much he's developed into a shot-maker.
Moving Forward:
This sounds cliche, but keep doing what you're doing. Winning an NBA championship requires that several players on the roster have career seasons. Wiggins was one of those players for the Thunder. He was one of their top bench players and started in 26 of his 76 games.
Consistency and durability are two factors teams love. Wiggins has nailed both. You know what you get out of him most nights. Juggling through injuries, the 26-year-old was always reliably there. Knock on wood, but those two variables have made him a valuable rotation member.
It's been quite the journey for Wiggins. He went from a forgettable 2021 No. 55 pick to being the last player left in OKC from his draft class. Most players in his draft range fizzle out of the NBA in a couple of years. Instead, the 26-year-old has been one of their better developmental stories in franchise history.
Expect Wiggins to have a similar role and production next season. He's always been a reliable outside shooter and has leaped to a new level with his on-ball creation. His savvy off-ball movement also makes him a weapon in the halfcourt with timely cuts to the basket. The defense may be questionable, but the Thunder can afford a couple of below-average defenders, especially in the regular season when you can hide them.
The Thunder signed Wiggins to a team-friendly contract last offseason. They've already received their money's worth with what he did last season. He's always been one of the more underappreciated guys on their recent rebuild. He's quietly developed in the background and has now cemented his spot in the NBA.
Final Grade: A-plus