Getty Golden State Warriors big man Zaza Pachulia throws down a dunk during a 2017 game against the Boston Celtics.
Jonathan Kumina came to the Golden State Warriors with a ton of hype, and rightfully so. His impressive physique, that wingspan approaching seven feet, the 38-inch vertical and his elite-level athleticism combined to make him an easy pick for the team at No. 7 overall last summer.
However, the early returns from the G League Ignite alum have left some in Dubs Nation to wonder whether Kuminga might be a bigger project than anticipated.
Through the first 13 games of his pro career, Kuminga has averaged a mere 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in under eight minutes per contest. He has also connected on just 41.0% of his shots overall and 14.3% from three-point range.
If you ask former Warrior Zaza Pachulia, though, this is all just part of Kuminga’s unique path to becoming an NBA player.
“Everybody has a story, everybody is prepared differently. They all need a different type of timing,” Pachulia said. “JK had a little bit of a slow start and it takes some time to figure out what he needed to do, day in and day out. It’s not only a one-day thing or a one-game thing. It’s not only a one-day thing or a one-game preparation.”
‘It’s a Journey’
Pachulia — who famously scrimmaged with Klay Thompson recently — made his comments on Kuminga during a November 23 appearance on 95.7 The Game. The 16-year veteran and near-All-Star is now working with the team that made him a two-time champ and has formed some strong opinions on the 19-year-old’s development.
Notably, he believes that the long view must be taken where Kumina is concerned.
“It’s a long season and a long career for a guy like JK because, you know, he’s talented and the conversation we had with him, and I was actually the one who talked with him, you gotta look at the career like, step back a little bit and look at a 10, 15-year career. Ten-plus, 15-plus,” Pachulia said.
“It’s a journey, it’s a lot of games, it’s a lot of practices and a lot of days and years. You can’t be anxious about winning now. It’s not about winning now for you as a person. It’s about, keep getting better every single day, learning something. Even when you are not playing, you still have a chance to get better.”
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Embracing the Journey
Although players of Kuminga’s ilk are typically intent on making an impact sooner rather than later, Pachulia believes that the Congolese baller is beginning to understand the baby steps that need to be taken before he can walk or run.
“I think he has thought about it and he has figured it out,” he said. “His workouts have been increased, he got to the point where coaches are trusting him because he was locked in. That is the biggest challenge probably for young players, the focus thing.”
Pachulia further noted that fledgling hoopsters can lose track of some of the small details when success does start to come. He believes, though, that Kuminga is getting to a place where he’s willing to go back to basics as necessary.
“Sometimes you have a great night, and everybody’s talking about you, social media, articles about you. And it’s a different situation — you’re getting excited so you kind of relax on the small details that led up to now, that’s why you had a successful game,” he said. “It’s a learning process. I think JK has figured it out and he’s being very locked in, doing the right things, going hard in practices and, you know, coaches trust him now. So, he’s getting significant minutes for him, for the role. He only can get better from now.”
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