Finally granted an opportunity to play with all of the Golden State Warriors‘ key players sidelined in Toronto, Jonathan Kuminga seized the moment and flashed his upside as a two-way threat.
The Golden State Warriors have to be pleased with the way Jonathan Kuminga performed in his biggest opportunity of the season.
The leash has been tight for 19-year-old Kuminga. As a teenager playing on the best team in the NBA, there has not been much room for him to get on the floor consistently.
Consequently, Kuminga is playing fewer than 10 minutes per game — when he actually gets into the rotation. For numerous games this year, Kuminga and his fellow rookie, Moses Moody, have been held out for all 48 minutes.
This was not the case against Toronto.
With Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala out for the game, Kuminga was granted an opportunity to play big NBA minutes for the first time in his career.
Kuminga played 36 minutes on Saturday, marking the first time he logged more than 18 in a single game.
The moment was not wasted by the No. 7 overall pick who scored 26 points and swiped 2 steals. He looked fluid with the ball, using a hyper-quick in-and-out dribble to explode to the rim for numerous dunks.
His 4-of-6 performance from deep was impressive, considering he was just 2-for-17 overall heading into this game. While Kuminga clearly did not turn into a sniper overnight, this is an important indicator that he has been seeing progress on his jump shot.
It’s vital to remember Kuminga is still so young. Yet, all of the potentials in the world rests on his shoulders. He’s a massive forward with top-notch athleticism. He has a natural feel for getting to the rim and expanding his range to the 3-point line would make him an elite scorer.
What’s more, Kuminga has been fairly decent for a teenage NBA defender. He is far from where he needs to be, but his size and mobility on the wing make him perfect for the Warriors.
This is an incredibly small sample size but this one game from Kuminga should remind us all of the type of numbers he could be averaging if he was in a different environment. For now, honing his skills under the radar will be the key as Kuminga can one day emerge as a bonafide rising star in the Bay.