Jonathan Kuminga Showcases Improving Jump Shot Mechanics in FIBA
If nothing else, the Golden State Warriors of the modern era will be remembered for being the catalysts of the three-point revolution. While Steph Curry was the driving force behind the league’s shift to a focus on the perimeter, Klay Thompson’s explosive games where he’s wreaked havoc on the opponent’s defense while barely even dribbling the basketball has helped contribute to that plenty.
The Warriors as a whole have always had a high level of shooting talent on their roster, something which they will continue to have into the future with Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, and recent draftees Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins. Even Andrew Wiggins has improved his efficiency and shot selection, which has been a great boon to the offense. Aside from James Wiseman, whose mechanics already track for improvement despite being a 7-footer and lacking an urgent need to become an outside sniper, there is one future cornerstone piece that there’s been some questions on when it comes to the jump shot.
Jonathan Kuminga shot a subpar 33% from three last season, and while his 68% from the free throw line was serviceable, his high foul-drawing volume is going to warrant him putting in some work to up that number. Kuminga’s athleticism and finishing ability at the rim is impressive, but it’s limited in its uses if he can’t convert at the charity stripe at a higher rate.
The good news on that front is it looks like Kuminga’s been putting in some work on getting that shot together. Despite an 0-for-7 performance in the first game of the FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers, where he’s playing for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he shot 3-for-6 in his most recent contest and showed what looks to be some cleaner mechanics. Compared to where he was in November of last season, nearing a full year ago, the mechanics look overall smoother and he looks more confident in it.
This corner triple ended up swishing, but there appears to be a hitch towards the end of the motion that makes it look closer to a two-motion jump shot. There are some excellent two-motion shooters of course, such as Ray Allen, but it’s widely-considered that a one-motion shot tends to land better and be more consistent. If we compare that video to the game footage of Kuminga’s recent FIBA games, the difference is noticeable:
Not only does his shot look smoother with a cleaner load from the pocket, forward set point, and narrower base, but he also managed to keep on balance on the move after dropping his defender with a stepback, a move he could use to take advantage of his lightning-fast first step if he can keep that mechanical consistency going on the jumper itself. It looks a little similar to Klay Thompson’s shot, a lot less stiff than it was last season. The percentages may not be there yet, but at the very least, it seems like there’s been some improvements.
JoKu’s jumper had been heating up late in the 2021-2022 season, but if he can keep it from being streaky, then he’ll be nearing a complete arsenal as a scorer. He’s shown aptitude for post moves, makes it hard for defenders to stay in front of him with his speed and strength, and obviously has some impressive above-the-rim finishing ability. If the shot starts falling and he can buoy that with good percentages from the free throw line, then he could start to become a much more reliable rotation player, and eventually even a star.
It looks like the Warriors player development pedigree is paying off once again, but credit has to be given to Kuminga himself for putting in the work to improve. His confidence is certainly high and he seems to know his ceiling, so to take initiative and get on the path to reach his potential is an encouraging sight, especially for a second-year player who already had some important experience in the postseason. With more wing minutes to go around, we can expect to see Jonathan Kuminga - and hopefully this smoother new jumper - more often as the Warriors look to run it back.
(Photo credit: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)