The Warriors got the chance to give their #7 pick some serious run last night against the Detroit Pistons. Kuminga earned the nod to start last night, playing in what would usually be Draymond Green’s opening spot alongside Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, and Looney. Kuminga played 25 minutes and was able to post a pretty solid statline.

His 12 points and 10 rebounds gave him his first career double-double, although many think this is the first of many. Kuminga is the 2nd youngest Warrior to ever post one, but despite not having gotten one until last night, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made it clear that he had earned the starting nod anyways:

Kuminga got his few points on 4-for-10 shooting, which isn’t the most efficient for a guy considered to be the more downhill, rim-pressure type of player, but his 2-for-4 three-point shooting and making his only pair of free throws showed some solid growth in terms of his jumper. He also tacked on a steal and an assist to complete his statline.

While Kuminga did play very well, there were some noticeable spots in his game where he didn’t do so well. He accrued 5 fouls, a few of which Steve Kerr referenced as “ticky-tack” and Kuminga himself noted were probably pretty avoidable, attributing some of them to just not getting the calls that guys who aren’t rookies would get but noting he would have to adjust to that, notably instead of complaining about it.

Kuminga’s been on a bit of a tear lately, maybe even making a late-season case for Rookie of the Year with his play. In his last 5 games, he’s averaging just under 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist on 48/33/66 shooting splits. The jumpshot is probably the least-connected part of his game, as he’s shown some excellent passing aptitude and some solid integration into the Warriors system, but there’s a few games where it looks like when he gets his rhythm going, he plays super well.

The first example of this would probably be the Bulls game earlier in this stretch, where he shot 10-for-12 from the field, including 2-for-4 from three en-route to scoring a game-high 25. Last night would also give some good evidence, as even though he ultimately ended up shooting only 40%, he hit his free throws and half of his triples.

Kuminga doesn’t figure to be the next great shooter in the Warriors dynasty, but if he can add some consistency and become a more reliable catch-and-shoot guy at the very least, it will open his game up a ton. He has no trouble getting to the rim this early in his career even against NBA athletes, and he’s shown he’s willing to attack the rack with no fear. His recent play has also earned him a starting spot until Draymond Green returns, with Kerr’s newfound trust in him seemingly being tested.

The Warriors play against the Indiana Pacers tomorrow, a team that is lacking a large number of their players. While Myles Turner will be sitting out and thus won’t be a prime target for JoKu to test his ability to finish at the rim against, it will still be interesting to watch how the young gun continues to respond to his number being called as a part of the starting line-up.

(Photo credit: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)