James Wiseman’s first season with the Indiana Pacers will officially consist of less than a quarter of basketball.
After leaving the first quarter of the Pacers’ season with a non-contact injury on Wednesday, the big man was diagnosed with a torn left Achilles tendon. the Pacers announced. The setback is the latest for the 23-year-old, whose career has been plagued by injuries since the Golden State Warriors selected him with the second pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Wiseman left Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons after appearing to suffer an injury while backtracking after shooting a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He planted his left leg awkwardly, then looked behind him as if he thought someone had touched him. There was no one there.
He then struggled to walk in the middle of the field and needed help from teammate Obi Toppin to limp. He immediately went to the Pacers locker room and was quickly excluded for the rest of the match. with a calf injury. Further details about Wiseman’s injury were not initially released.
Another injury for Wiseman
Wiseman joined the Pacers this offseason after spending the past season-plus with the Pistons. He spent over two NBA seasons with Golden State.
Knee and wrist injuries limited Wiseman to 39 games as a rookie on a veteran Warriors team. He then missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn meniscus during Golden State’s run to an NBA championship.
The Warriors traded Wiseman to the Pistons before the midseason trade deadline in 2023, and he has been a journeyman ever since. He saw the most action of his career in 63 games with the Pistons last season and joined the Pacers this offseason as Myles Turner’s backup.
Now, a once-promising career that has already been derailed by injuries will see another season disappear.
