James Wiseman Rejected Israeli Clubs for NBA Champion Knicks
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Former top NBA draft pick James Wiseman, who was offered to Israeli basketball clubs Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv, is now expected to sign with the NBA champion New York Knicks after a tryout.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- James Wiseman was offered to Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv but rejected them.
- Wiseman is expected to sign with the NBA champion New York Knicks.
- He was the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
- Injuries and unmet expectations have hampered his NBA career.
- Both Israeli teams ultimately decided against signing him.
American center James Wiseman, a former second overall NBA draft pick, was offered to both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv during the past summer. Wiseman, who became a free agent in December and has not played since, was reportedly looking to move to Europe for the first time. Despite his past potential, Wiseman struggled with injuries and unmet expectations during his time with the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and Indiana Pacers. Maccabi Tel Aviv considered signing him but ultimately passed due to concerns about his medical condition, opting instead for Daniel Theis and Armando Bacot. Hapoel Tel Aviv also negotiated with Wiseman to fill the void left by Jonathan Motley, but the talks ended, and they signed Bruno Caboclo.
After deciding to explore European basketball and publicly announcing his intention, Wiseman shifted his focus back to the NBA. He joined the training camp of the NBA champion New York Knicks on a non-guaranteed contract as a tryout player. Reports now indicate that Wiseman is expected to be offered a contract by the Knicks. Last season, Wiseman played only four games for the Indiana Pacers on a 10-day contract before being released. Throughout his NBA career, he has appeared in 152 games for the Warriors, Pistons, and Pacers.