Fans Unite on Wiggins Pick

Next year may have come early. The Cavs No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins may just be the change-up our team needs.

"I love it. That was the best thing they could have done for Cleveland,” says James Gatson, a supervisor at 55 Public Square, during a draft party at The Q Thursday night. Gatson thinks the choice of Wiggins will help convince free agent LeBron James to come back. The return of the King was on many fans’ minds, but largely the night was about Wiggins – and the busy, floral print suit he donned for the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center.

When the night began, the question on people’s minds was whether the Cavs would pick University of Kansas freshman Wiggins or Duke University freshman Jabari Parker. Thousands of fans, mostly dressed in wine and gold, spent the time leading up to the draft shooting baskets on the court, getting autographs from Cavs legends Campy Russell and Jim Chones and noshing on stadium fare – but the tension was building. When Wiggins’ name was announced over the broadcast from New York, the entire arena cheered in unison.

“He’s going to be a good match for the team,” says fan Loren Delaney.

Wiggins is considered by many to have more long-term potential than Parker, who ended up being drafted second by the Milwaukee Bucks.

“Honestly, if we wanted somebody now, we would have said Jabari, but we’re looking toward the future,” says Rahmel Johnson, a senior at Bedford High School. “That’s the best way to go.”

Any pick is a gamble, seeing as the team surprised everybody by drafting Anthony Bennett with the first-round pick last year, and he only averaged 4 points per game last season. He did average 16 points per game in college, however.

“[Wiggins] was a good college basketball player,” Johnson says. “He averaged 17 points a game, which is very good as a freshman. It’s just his aggression. His last game, he only had four points and he only shot like six shots.”

The Cavs also drafted University of Virginia shooting guard Joe Harris with the 33rd pick in the second round.

You never know with Cleveland sports, but with a new coach and general manager, getting Wiggins and James rumors, things are looking up.