A Look Into Jonathan Kuminga’s Summer League Performance

The 7th overall pick looked like the steal of the 2021 NBA Draft. The 6’8” freak used his length and athleticism on both ends of the court and it was spectacular. He put on a show every time he stepped on the floor in Las Vegas and Sacramento, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 5 games. Fans are now very well aware of his dunking abilities and explosiveness but there's so much more to his game that is coming to light.

I was most impressed with his defensive prowess. He was protecting the rim, reading the defense, jumping into the passing lanes, doing it all really on that side of the floor. Along with that, an extremely underrated part of his game is his passing. I saw multiple times where he would dribble into the middle of the key and once he drew the defenders in, he would quickly dump it down for an easy look. The game looks like it comes natural to him and that’s a great sign to see from an 18-year-old (wait… EIGHTEEN??).

We saw a few flashes of his ability to stretch the floor but that’s a part of his game that needs work. Lucky for him, he’s got two of the best shooters the game has ever seen on his team to learn a thing or two from. Not many rookies can say they have that benefit.

Efficiency from the floor is usually a problem with most young players as they get overexcited and that’s exactly what’s happening with Kuminga. His shooting splits of 39.7 FG%, 27.3 3P%, and 65.7 FT% were unimpressive. As time goes on during the regular season, I expect the game to become more and more comfortable for the rookie. It’s a perfect situation for Kuminga in Golden State as he won’t be asked to jump into a starting role straight out the gate. He can gradually warm up to the NBA pace in a backup situation while learning from players ahead of him like Draymond Green.

I expect some important minutes from “Kumingod” as a slashing, defensive wing off the bench. Who knows? I can even picture him being thrown in there with the starters in certain spots during the second half of the season.

The incredibly high ceiling for the Congolese-born player has the Bay Area extremely excited for the future. Bob Myers and co. made the right decision.

Follow Arden Cravalho on Twitter @a_cravalho.

FeatureArden CravalhoJonathan Kuminga, Summer League, Warriors1 Comment