Marcus Smart on Andrew Wiggins: ‘He has not done it yet’

Photo Attribution: USATSI

Hoooooooooooooo boy!

When is football season over?

Here’s what Marcus Smart said about Andrew Wiggins in USA Today at the end of last week:

“They are saying he is the best college player there is and he has not even played a game yet. Of course that hypes me up. It is all talk. He still has to put his shorts on one leg at a time like I do. It is all potential. I am not saying he can’t do it. But he has not done it yet.”

The article went on to say: “Smart says he respects Wiggins’ talents, calling him a ‘great player.’ But Smart questions the purpose and the amount of the hype that Wiggins has been awash in for more than a year, and wants no part of it.”

Smart is, of course, correct in his statements. All he’s saying is “he hasn’t done it yet.” That’s a factual statement. I’m not totally sure you want to give Self and his team any more ammo than you did when you backflipped on Phog Allen last year but, again, factual statements.

I love the perceived slight between the two teams. Kansas fans are going to be “Dana Holgorsen’s hair after a bad call” level upset over this. The meltdown is going to be spectacular.

And I hope it goes on all year. I hope the only two games either of these teams loses are to each other. I hope players tweet about it, I hope both crowds lose their minds when they meet up, and I hope we somehow get a Self-Ford brawl at some point — possibly this week at media days.

Speaking of Ford, he didn’t want to be left out of the hyperbole party everybody has started on Wiggins. Here’s what he had to say about Smart:

“Wherever [Marcus] goes [in the NBA], he will go down as one of the all-time great players and people to ever play in that organization. Guarantee it, write it down. They are going to say he’s the greatest guy to ever come to this organization. I get to be around him for two years, and I feel very lucky. Some coach will get to be around him for seven, eight, nine, and they are going to be really fortunate.”

Oh, so you’re going to do the same thing you and your best player just criticized everybody else for doing and ridiculously project the rest of Smart’s career in the NBA?

One of the all-time great players??

Guarantee it??

Write it down??

This is no different than what people have been saying about Wiggins that Ford joked about last week which is, of course, fine but don’t get mad that other people are doing it when you’re doing the exact same thing yourself with your guy.