MUSCATINE, Iowa–For the first time since the San Antonio Spurs drafted him, Joe Wieskamp returned to Iowa to play basketball. A player with a two-way contract between the San Antonio Spurs and their G League affiliate the Austin Spurs, Wieskamp faced off against the Iowa Wolves Feb. 7 and 8.
When NBA teams sets their roster for the season, they may make two two-way contracts with G League players who have played in the NBA as well for four years or fewer. The contract allows the NBA team to utilize the G League player in their games as needed. A unique situation few young players experience, Wieskamp shared in a pre-game interview Feb. 7 that, “it’s been good to experience both sides of it.” So far, Wieskamp has played 14 games with the San Antonio Spurs as well as playing in both the Showcase Cup and regular season for the Austin Spurs.
A successful basketball player first with the Muscatine Muskies in high school and then with the Iowa Hawkeyes in college, Wieskamp always dreamed of joining the NBA. When the Spurs drafted him last year, he could not have felt more excited about it. “It was just an incredible feeling,” he recalled. “Not a lot of guys can say they made it to the NBA and played minutes.” Later, he added, “I love playing the game, and to play that and make a living, there’s nothing better than that for me.”
Still, Wieskamp has even higher hopes for the future and aspires to improve his game and continue to play more in the NBA in the years to come. “I’m excited to be here, but I’m also excited for the future because I have a lot left to continue to improve upon and this is just the beginning,” he said.”
As Wieskamp plays his rookie season, he has found he has a lot to learn, as G League and NBA teams play more games than college teams do and have some of the best talent in the nation. Wieskamp shared he considered the biggest adjustments he had to make included, “the lifestyle change, getting used to the pro game–obviously, it’s just a different style of basketball.”
Though some may find adapting to professional play intimidating, Wieskamp has welcomed the experience to grow. “For me, it’s all about developing, all about learning, taking the right shots,” he explained. “Early on in your career, you have to be comfortable with just taking the shots–the more you get comfortable with them, the more you’ll start making it.”
While Wieskamp has jumped at the chance to move to Texas and play with the Spurs, he considered returning to Iowa to play against the Wolves a very special opportunity. “It’ll be cool, just to know that that kind of support is behind you,” he noted: “Down in Texas, it’s just not the same, right? Because I grew up in Iowa and always played here I always had just so much support.”
