Former No. 2 pick James Wiseman out for season after tearing Achilles tendon in Pacers debut

James Wiseman’s first season with the Indiana Pacers will officially consist of less than a quarter of basketball.

After exiting in the first quarter of the Pacers’ season opener with a non-contact injury Wednesday, the big man was diagnosed with a torn left Achilles tendon, the Pacers announced. The setback is the latest for the 23-year-old, whose career has been plagued by injuries since the Golden State Warriors selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Wiseman left Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons after appearing to suffer the injury while backpedaling after shooting a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He awkwardly planted his left leg, then looked behind him as if he thought somebody had made contact with him. There was nobody there.

He then struggled to walk at mid-court and needed help from teammate Obi Toppin to limp off the floor. He went immediately to the Pacers locker room and was very quickly ruled out for the rest of the game with a calf injury. Further details about Wiseman’s injury weren’t initially disclosed.

Another injury for Wiseman

Wiseman joined the Pacers this offseason after spending the last season-plus with the Pistons. He spent his first two-plus NBA seasons with Golden State.

Knee and wrist injuries limited Wiseman to 39 games as a rookie on a veteran Warriors team. He then missed the entire 2021-22 season with a meniscus tear during Golden State’s run to an NBA championship.

The Warriors traded Wiseman to the Pistons before the midseason trade deadline in 2023, and he’s been a journeyman since. He saw the most action of his career in 63 games with the Pistons last season and joined the Pacers this offseason as a backup to Myles Turner.

Now a once-promising career that’s already been derailed by injuries will see one more season disappear.