San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
How we photographed this story
When photographers profile new players, they try to capture some personal moments in their daily life, but the NBA’s COVID-19 safety protocols presented a major barrier to doing so with Warriors rookie James Wiseman. Chronicle photographer Carlos Gonzalez had to get creative.
Gonzalez used remote cameras to do a photo shoot from outside the apartment by connecting his camera and computer with a 100-foot ethernet cable. After sanitizing his camera with alcohol wipes and leaving it near the door, he called Wiseman’s assistant, Joseph Perry, to pick it up and bring it inside.
Gonzalez communicated with Perry via a phone he’d attached to the top of the camera, allowing him to provide instructions on what to capture and from where. The camera was fully controlled by remote software on the laptop outside, and Gonzalez could see what was visible to the camera live on the computer screen to decide what to photograph.
As COVID-19 has presented new challenges, photographers have found ways to do their work with safety as a priority. For a video demonstration of how Gonzalez achieved this, visit: sfchronicle.com/wiseman shake at a Nike camp during Wiseman’s junior year of high school, he has tried to follow Bryant’s blueprint for greatness.
In addition to watching almost every Bryant interview he could find on YouTube, Wiseman has read Bryant’s “Wizenard Series” of children’s books. Whenever Wiseman needs inspiration, he revisits Bryant’s autobiography, “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.”
One chapter, on Bryant’s struggles adjusting to life in the NBA as a 17yearold straight out of high school, particularly resonated with Wiseman. Bryant averaged just 7.6 points per game on 41.7% shooting as a rookie, and he didn’t have to deal with the physicality of the league’s best centers. Another one of Wiseman’s idols, power forward Kevin Garnett, scored fewer points as a 19yearold rookie than Wiseman is currently averaging — despite significantly more playing time.
“He’s always been so hard on himself,” said Thomas Coleman, Wiseman’s childhood coach. “But when I talk to him, I just remind him, ‘You’re right on track. Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.’ ”
While training for the draft in Miami, Wiseman started making hiphop beats on his computer. In recent months, when the stress of basketball began to wear on him, he recorded a few raps over his instrumentals. The writing process served as a sort of therapy for Wiseman, whose lyrics deal with everything from fame to his Christian faith.
With many churches closed because of the pandemic, he has taken to reading the Bible every night before bed. His favorite book is Philippians; those passages on overcoming personal challenges have helped him this season. Some nights, when scripture isn’t enough to ease his racing mind, Wiseman shoots Artis a text: “You up? Can I come down?”
At the start of the AllStar break last month, Wiseman was eager to relax with his mom. One night, while playing the tile game Rummikub with Artis, Wiseman realized he’d forgotten to take a leaguemandated coronavirus test.
The oversight received national attention and raised questions about his professionalism. After Wiseman was forced to sit out a practice and three quarters of a game against the Clippers, he started arriving to the testing center more than an hour before his appointment, just to make sure he had no problems.
This ability to learn from his mistakes is part of why those who know him best aren’t worried about his rookie struggles. As a sophomore at the Ensworth School in Nashville, Wiseman, already 6foot10, looked overwhelmed against his 63 defender from Brentwood Academy, finishing with as many turnovers (seven) as points (seven) in a blowout state semifinals loss.
The memory of that performance motivated Wiseman for the next two years. To improve his ballhandling, he dribbled a tennis ball while walking the halls between classes. Instead of chatting with friends at lunch, Wiseman retreated to the computer lab, where he studied highlights from the previous day’s NBA games. After practices, he lifted weights for over an hour.
By his senior season at East High in Memphis, Wiseman was bullying undersized defenders on his way to Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. Even though high school is nothing compared to the NBA, he is sure that, as long as he keeps imagining what he could become, he’ll dominate this level soon enough.
“I want to be one of the greatest to ever play,” Wiseman said. “If you just visualize what you want to do, it comes to pass nine out of 10 times.
“Actually, scratch that — all of the time.”