Following an extended leave of absence, Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins is apparently set to return to the court this week.
According to The Athletic and Stadium reporter Shams Charania, Wiggins’ absence for 21 games was on account of a family matter. “The reason for Wiggins’ leave of absence since mid-February is that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious medical situation,” tweeted Charania, citing sources close to the Warriors forward.
He’s expected to return to the Warriors for the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
Golden State's Andrew Wiggins plans to attend Warriors-Thunder on Tuesday. The reason for Wiggins' leave of absence since mid-February is that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious medical situation, sources close to the situation say. 🙏🏽
The Warriors have given Wiggins complete space and freedom to deal with his family matter.
Wiggins last appeared on the court for the Warriors game on Feb. 13, then stepped away for an unspecified personal matter. Before his time off he was averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. His defensive presence upon his long-anticipated return could prove integral for the Warriors’ standing in the Western Conference playoffs.
Last month, coach Steve Kerr said he was prepared to support Wiggins regardless of if he chose to come back for the rest of the season or not.
"But our players and our coaches, front office, we're all thinking about Wiggs every day," Kerr told reporters on March 22. "If he comes back, great. If he doesn't come back, that's fine too. We just want to make sure that he's in a good place, taking care of his family and we'll see how it plays out."
