Getty Jonathan Kuminga drives the ball in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Golden State Warriors rookie Jonathan Kuminga has accomplished a difficult feat this season — cracking the lineup of head coach Steve Kerr, who in the past has been averse to moving rookies along too quickly.
Kuminga went from the fringes of the roster and splitting time between the Warriors and the G League affiliate in Santa Cruz earlier in the season to a fixture of the rotation down the final stretch. Over the last 10 games, he has averaged 9.1 points per game on 51.5 percent shooting, adding 3.3 rebounds.
Still, Kuminga has yet to earn the full endorsement from his coach.
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Kerr Offers Praise, Critique
Appearing on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon & Ratto” this week, Kerr had some high praise for Kuminga’s abilities, but made it clear that he’s still a rookie with a lot to learn. Kerr said that the teenager’s athleticism is enough to get him by right now, and he’ll pick up other parts of the game as he goes.
“What you’re seeing is why he was the seventh pick in the draft and why he has such a high ceiling,” Kerr said. “He barely knows what he’s doing at this stage and every night he’s so gifted, so explosive that he’s gonna practically fall in to 14 points and seven rebounds. The whole point of what’s happening now is, we’re playing him and we’re giving him every opportunity. He’s learning from every single rep that he gets.”
Kerr’s commitment to getting Kuminga as much time on the court as possible is a significant commitment and a change from earlier in the season. Back in October, Kerr had hinted that both Kuminga and fellow rookie Moses Moody might not see much playing time, noting that the team was hoping to contend for a title and had a roster heavy with veterans. That was the strategy Kerr employed through the first few months of the season as the pair regularly played in the G League to get as much time on the court as possible.
Steve Kerr on his veteran heavy rotation: “We’re chasing wins this season” attached to a 😏 expression
Kuminga, Moody Earn Bigger Roles
Both Kuminga and Moody have beaten those expectations and been rewarded for their strong play by earning a place in the regular rotation. Some of that has been the result of injuries, with Draymond Green’s absence giving a chance for both to play more often.
Kuminga has been able to get some help from his veteran teammates. Green joked this week that he was going to teach the 19-year-old the intricacies of screening, and said he was committed to helping Kuminga learn.
Draymond on Kuminga: “We’ve got to bring him to screening school” 😂
“JK we were just talking about it. We got to bring him to screening school,” Green said following the team’s win over the Wizards. “He’s still not quite there yet. He’s figuring out the angles which is important because that’s the toughest part. Now, we got to get him to start laying some wood. We got to start getting him body-to-body with guys. Because when he screens well, he’s going to get dunks because nobody can stop him diving into the paint.
“So, we still got a little bit of teaching to do with JK in screening school before the playoffs. But we’ll have him ready.”
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