Draymond praises 'sponge' Wiseman after 1st practice

After Draymond Green and James Wiseman took part in their first Golden State Warriors practice this preseason, Green couldn't hide his excitement about the team's newest high-profile big man.

"I thought James was all over the place today, which was great to see," Green said, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell.

"It seems to me he's going to be a sponge, he asks a bunch of questions," the former Defensive Player of the Year added.

Green and Wiseman hadn't participated in practice in order to comply with league protocols. While the reasons for their absences weren't announced, Warriors general manager Bob Myers recently confirmed two players had tested positive for COVID-19.

Wiseman - the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft - was ecstatic to finally get out on the floor after patiently waiting for his opportunity to make an impression.

"I just had so much energy because I just couldn't wait to play," Wiseman said of his outing. "I was just out there talking, giving my full energy to my team. ... The first practice was really crazy, but I learned a lot from my vets."

Of all the veterans who will surround Wiseman this season, Green could wind up having the largest impact on the Memphis product's development.

"Draymond is going to help him dramatically. Especially defensively just with positioning and that sort of thing," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. "It was a perfect snapshot of what we hope to see - what Warriors fans hope to see and what might be coming."