Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has been away from the team for personal reasons for over a month, with nary a detail having been disclosed.
The Warriors organization has been publicly supportive of the 28-year-old forward, and his teammates haven’t leaked frustration to the media. But with such an extended absence, rumors and toxic discourse have occasionally spread.
Forward Draymond Green said on his podcast this week that the rumors circulating Wiggins “disgusting.”
“Y’all are so thirsty to know what’s going on in someone’s life that that becomes the thing?” Green said. “Sometimes people disgust me. You don’t know what someone’s dealing with, and then you make them deal with that? What if that’s not what the person’s dealing with? Stop it.”
It’s unclear exactly which rumors Green is referring to. But one Warrior told The Athletic: “What he’s dealing with,” one player said, “is some real (expletive).”
Wiggins’ longtime girlfriend, Mychal Johnson, recently tweeted “the internet is really a sick place,” punctuating her messages with a vomiting emoji.
Earlier this month, local radio station 95.7 The Game tweeted out a poll that asked whether or not Wiggins owes fans an explanation for his absence. The since-deleted poll, and subsequent on-air discussions, provoked online backlash and debate from callers. (Disclaimer: KGMZ is a competitor of KNBR’s).
Wiggins last played on Feb. 13 and has been out since the day before the All-Star Break. He has played 37 games this year, averaging 17.1 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Last year, Wiggins was integral in Golden State’s title run as a two-way force. Although there’s no timetable for his return, head coach Steve Kerr said last week that the hope is for Wiggins to return this season.