Getty Jonathan Kuminga brings the ball up the court in a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Jonathan Kuminga had a big night on Saturday, and it was Steph Curry’s youngest son who helped to cap off the night for the Golden State Warriors rookie.
The No. 7 overall pick, whose start to this NBA season was delayed by a little over a week due to an injury, made his NBA debut in the team’s October 30 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kuminga checked in during garbage time of the 103-82 victory and scored the first points of his career on a 3-pointer. After the game, the team honored his accomplishment with some help from Curry’s 3-year-old son.
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Kuminga’s Big Debut
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had said before Saturday’s game that Kuminga, available to play for the first time, would not be part of the team’s scripted rotation but would get in if the opportunity arose. That opportunity came in the fourth quarter, with the Warriors holding a lead of close to 30 points and Kerr looking to pull Curry and other veterans.
Expectation is Jonathan Kuminga won’t be part of the Warriors’ scripted rotation tonight, but is active/available if opportunity arises. Kerr: “His time will come.”
Kuminga came in with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter to the delight of fans. As Ali Thanwalla of NBC Sports Bay Area noted, the crowd at the Chase Center cheered every time he touched the ball, and grew even louder a few minutes later when he nailed a 3-pointer off a behind-the-back pass from Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Jonathan Kuminga’s first NBA bucket 👏👏👏
Team Honors Top Rookie
Kerr said that Kuminga earned the game ball for his first game action and first NBA points. As Thanwalla pointed out, it was Curry’s son, Canon, who actually got to hand the ball to Kuminga.
After the game, Kerr said it was great to see the 19-year-old seeing his first NBA action, especially after fighting through some adversity that delayed the moment.
“It was just fun to see them out there,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “Fun to give Jonathan the game ball for his first NBA hoop. He was obviously a little rusty, a little nervous out there as you’d expect. But he has not practiced with our team for the last three weeks, for the most part. So he’s kind of starting over, starting from scratch. So he’s a little behind, but that’s to be expected given the circumstances.”
Kerr has suggested that rookies Kuminga and Moses Moody will be eased into their roles with the team, and this week Moody was sent down to the G League Santa Cruz Warriors to get some action in a preseason game before returning to the Warriors for Saturday’s game against the Thunder.
“The young guys are just learning what this league is about, & the league is about work.”
Steve Kerr says Warriors youngsters Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody & James Wiseman are on good paths, they just need to put in work, used Jordan Poole as an example. @kron4news #DubNation
As he was cleared to play and set to make his debut against the Thunder, Kuminga shared some words of excitement on his first game action. After the team’s practice on Friday, Kuminga said it would be a big day not just for him, but also for his family back home.
“It’s going to be my first NBA game, and I feel like I’ve been working and preparing for this moment since I was a kid,” Kuminga said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “And it’s going to happen tomorrow, so I’m really excited about it.”
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