Who Is Aaron Wiggins? Everything to Know About the OKC Thunder's Show-Stealing Sixth Man
Aaron Wiggins put on a show in Game 2 of the NBA Finals!
The NBA Finals is a showcase for some of the league's biggest stars, as they seek to prove themselves on the grandest basketball stage of them all, but that's not the only reason to watch. Sure, your team's poster guy may have some great games, but the Finals are often just as fun because of the unheralded contributors, who emerge from the bench to play their best and make a winning impact.
In Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals last night, that contributor was Aaron Wiggins, the Oklahoma City Thunder's sixth man shooting guard, who put up very impressive numbers and kept up the offensive assault in the team's 123-107 win over the Indiana Pacers. The series is now tied at one game each, and Wiggins just won a lot of new fans. So, as the Finals continue, and as we get ready for the NBA's return to NBC next fall, let's take a closer look at Wiggins' career thus far.
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Who is Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins?
A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Wiggins was a multi-sport athlete as a youngster before focusing on basketball. As a star at Wesley Christian Academy, he earned All-State honors and emerged as a four-star recruit heading into college. He eventually committed to the University of Maryland, and while he briefly played as a starter, he eventually found his groove as a player coming off the bench, contributing to the game outside of the opening minutes. It's a role that he's carried with him ever since.
Wiggins' prowess as an off-the-bench contributor earned him Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2020, and in the 2021 NBA Draft he was chosen by the Thunder very late in the game, as the 55th overall pick. He's been in Oklahoma City ever since.
As a sixth man (meaning the first player who comes off the bench, contributing to what the five starters on any given team began), Wiggins has had to adjust to an inconsistent playing schedule within the Thunder organization. Sometimes he plays just a handful of minutes, while other teams he emerges for half the game or more. The inconsistency is a challenge unto itself, but Wiggins has adjusted, and built a reputation as a reliable contributor and very solid shooter, including from three-point range.
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Which brings us back to his Game 2 performance in the Finals. On June 8, Wiggins played 21 minutes and delivered 18 points, shooting 6 of 11 overall and 5 for 8 from three-point range, working the Thunder fans into a frenzy with his performance. It was a solid win for the Thunder, and while they might never have been in danger of losing the game, the Pacers did their best in the second-half to keep up with and even eclipse the Thunder's scoring. That meant the offense really needed to stay consistent for OKC to win, and Wiggins was a big part of that.
“I think about it all the time, being from Greensboro, my journey early on, it taught me to be grateful,” Wiggins said after Game 2. “To take advantage of the opportunities I get, teams that I played for, and I was kind of like a late bloomer. That helped my journey. It kind of helped me mentally to not be afraid, regardless of what moment may be in front of me, or of what is asked of me.”
How to Watch the NBA on NBC
The 2024-2025 NBA season is almost at its end, but we're already looking ahead to 2025-2026, because that's when the league makes its long-awaited return to NBC. Beginning in October, you'll be able to watch exclusive live games every Monday night on Peacock, along with games in primetime Tuesday nights on NBC. And beginning in 2026, at the close of football season and Sunday Night Football on NBC, you'll be able to catch NBA action on Sundays too with the premiere of Sunday Night Basketball.
For more NBA news, head to NBC Sports.
