The Golden State Warriors got a boost in the form of the return of Klay Thompson this week, as the star shooting guard played in his first game since the 2019 NBA Finals on Sunday, but one large piece remains missing from Golden State’s rotation.
Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman, has been sidelined for over nine months due to a torn meniscus suffered late last season, and on Thursday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said they were hopeful Wiseman would begin contact work soon, either in 1-on-1 or 3-on-3. Every person responds differently to the rehab process, so timetables for one player won’t be the same as another, but many fans were wondering why there seemed to be an additional delay to Wiseman’s return compared to others who have come back from a meniscus tear.
On Thursday, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater provided the answer, as Wiseman reportedly had a second, unannounced surgery in December to clean out his knee due to continued swelling.
What’s the explanation for the elongated recovery? Another previously unreported surgery was needed. Because of some minor-yet-persistent swelling, Wiseman needed a scope and cleanup in mid-December, flushing out some loose bodies, sources confirm, which slowed his anticipated comeback.
It is for the best that Wiseman got it fully taken care of, but it does come as a surprise given the Warriors chose not to divulge that information publicly via a release when he had the procedure. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here for Wiseman in his recovery, but for fans hoping for the big man’s return this month, it seems it might take a bit longer before he gets to begin his sophomore campaign.
