Former Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman has landed his next basketball opportunity — and it’s one that feels almost too wild to be real after everything he’s been through.
Instead of staying on the NBA sidelines following his release by the Indiana Pacers earlier this season, the 24-year-old is heading to the USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team, where he’s arguably the biggest name on a roster full of former NBA players still chasing their way back into the league.
Yes, you read that right. James Wiseman is now suiting up for Team USA in World Cup qualifiers.
The squad, announced on February 17, 2026 by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, features a mix of veteran talent and hungry ex-NBA names trying to remind the league what they can do. Alongside Wiseman are Elfrid Payton, David Roddy, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (who worked out for the Warriors last offseason). Other names on the roster include Malcolm Hill, Tevian Jones, Taevion Kinsey (who made three preseason appearances for Golden State before being waived), Brandon Knight, Dakota Mathias, Jaden Shackelford, Terry Taylor, and Jeremiah Tilmon.
It’s a stunning next chapter for a player who was once billed as the future of the Warriors franchise. Selected second overall in the 2020 NBA Draft behind only Anthony Edwards, Wiseman was supposed to be the next big thing in the Bay Area. Instead, his journey has been defined by brutal injury luck and heartbreak: just 152 career NBA games across six seasons, including a torn Achilles in his very first game with the Pacers last season.
He fought back, re-signed with Indiana, played one game… then was waived. A brief three-game stint on a 10-day contract followed, but no permanent NBA deal came. For months, it looked like the league had moved on.
Now, this. Wiseman gets a golden stage to remind everyone — especially NBA front offices — exactly why he was once the No. 2 pick in the entire draft.
If he can lock down the starting center role and dominate during these qualifiers, it could be the turnaround story Warriors fans have quietly been hoping for. The organization may regret the pick more than almost any other in recent memory, but everyone in Golden State — from the front office to the fanbase — still roots hard for the big man after all the pain he’s endured.
For context, Wiseman played 60 games for the Warriors before the 2023 mid-season trade deadline. His rookie season remains his best: 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and nearly a block per game on 51.9% shooting from the field.
Warriors fans, mark your calendars. This one is unbelievable… but 100% true. You’re going to want to see it to believe it.