On Wednesday morning, news broke per Shams Charania that Johnathan Kuminga would be replacing Chris Duarte in the All-star weekend’s Rising Stars Challenge. Unfortunately for Duarte, he suffered a toe injury Sunday against the Timberwolves and, out of an abundance of caution, has chosen to forgo the Rising Stars contest this weekend in Cleveland. In his first year at the pro level by way of The University of Oregon, Duarte has proven himself to be a viable scoring option for a struggling Pacers team.

With the absence of Duarte, the equally deserving Johnathan Kuminga has been slotted to replace him. Kuminga has burst onto the scene in the last few weeks for the Warriors averaging 15.7 ppg in February to go along with 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He has shown flashes of extreme competency this season, and when he was left of the Rising Stars roster initially, many felt he was snubbed.

For Warriors fans, Kuminga has been a delightful surprise. At just the age of 19, he has made great strides in just a few months at the professional level. His large frame and outstanding athletic ability have proven helpful in playing the stretch four position. He has guarded some of the league’s best in a short amount of time, able to hold his own. Additionally, his quick cutting and flashing on offense has paired nicely with his ability to knock down open threes. Kuminga is shooting 30% from three, which is not bad because he was never touted as a sharpshooter coming from the G-League’s Ignite team for aspiring NBA prospects.

If Kuminga continues to progress at the rate he has this season, It is not far-fetched to think that he may have a very bright future ahead of him. Hopefully, this weekend in Cleveland, Kuminga can show the world what Dubnation has seen all season: Outstanding athletic ability and a motor to play hard on both sides of the ball.

(Photo credit: Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)