In Warriors debut, Jonathan Kuminga showed flashes of what made him Golden State’s top pick
After a shaky start, Kuminga dazzled with challenging finishes between some less-impressive moments.
SACRAMENTO — During the lead-up to the draft, Jonathan Kuminga was billed as a special athlete with a raw skillset capable of the occasional flash — a description that aptly sums up his Warriors Summer League debut.
Kuminga, the seventh pick in last week’s draft, finished with 18 points on 7 for 14 shooting, three rebounds and two steals in Golden State’s 94-87 loss to the Miami Heat in their final game of the California Classic at Golden 1 Center. After a shaky start, Kuminga dazzled with challenging finishes between some less-inspiring moments.
Among the most impressive highlights was a two-handed dunk in the second quarter. After the Summer League Warriors rebounded a miss, Kuminga got the ball, crossed halfcourt, switched hands and head-faked into a powerful finish before clapping his hands after the strong take.
KUMINGA HAMMER
pic.twitter.com/rHEvIPz8Ra
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) August 5, 2021
These moments wink at Kuminga’s potential to develop into a go-to scoring option. What stands out most is his body control. At 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, Kuminga displays a rare blend of speed and strength that allows him to finish through contact in the air while contorting his body.
On his first basket, Kuminga came off a screen and used a windmill move and drop step to get to the basket, where he finished with a feathery, right-handed layup.
Nice move from Kuminga for his first bucket pic.twitter.com/kWARm0hXww
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) August 5, 2021
Later, Kuminga displayed the sort of “force” Warriors executives saw during his time with the G League Ignite. Crossing the court in transition, Kuminga attacked the basket and lept from about 10 feet away when Miami’s 6-foot-10 forward Micah Porter met him in the air. Porter, with both arms raised, jumped directly into the middle of Kuminga’s body. But Kuminga powered through him and finished with a tough layup from just outside the restricted area. Rare stuff.
Jonathan Kuminga with the STRONG attack and finish. Sheeeeesh pic.twitter.com/OOH1NfUucJ
— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) August 5, 2021
This is the factor that makes Kuminga special. It’s this blend of size, speed and finishing ability that stars such as LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard routinely go to in big moments. If Kuminga can polish the rest of his game, he has a chance to develop into the kind of apex wing that championship contenders are built around.
“I was impressed with his energy getting to the basket,” Warriors Summer League coach Kris Weems said. “You see the finishing ability and I think he’s an underrated passer. He didn’t do as much as I’d like him to do, but he has a chance to be a really good player.”
But for all of those highlight-reel moments, he also had plenty of head-scratching ones. He went just 1-for-4 from 3-point range and air-balled a wide-open jumper in the first quarter. On more than one occasion, he’d put his head down, drive to the basket, be unsure of his next step and toss the ball out of bounds. He can make a basic pass look like a rigged carnival game.
Kuminga with the right idea with the pass ahead, but juuuuuuuuuuuust a bit too high … pic.twitter.com/xaU0o9hZJt
— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) August 5, 2021
In all, he had six turnovers to zero assists in his 25 minutes.
“I just have to make the quick decision to just give it up,” Kuminga said. “Instead of thinking twice, just pass it.”
The goal for the Warriors was to see Kuminga in action. With general manager Bob Myers sitting courtside, Weems directed most of the offense through Kuminga, who got the ball early and often via handoffs, screens, kick-outs and post-ups. Kuminga played both power forward and center. After an up-and-down opening stint that saw Kuminga air-ball a 3-pointer and commit two turnovers, he got to play through his mistakes.
Kuminga won’t get the same freedom and leeway in the NBA. Playing alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Kuminga’s role will be limited. Too many mistakes could lead to a quick hook during a season in which simply reaching the playoffs won’t be enough.
But this is the opportunity afforded to top picks in Summer League. With the schedule continuing in Las Vegas next week, these games are paramount in figuring out what exactly Kuminga is, how close he is to contributing and what that looks like when the games matter.
“I think I can make an impact right away,” Kuminga said. “Just get ready, learn all the plays and try to get better.”
Overall, the Warriors drafted Kuminga understanding that the tantalizing talent was coupled with some inconsistencies, but that he has a chance to develop into the future face of the franchise. With that in mind, they should be satisfied with Kuminga’s NBA debut.