‘Incredible' potential: Examining a Wiseman-Kuminga duo

In back-to-back years, the Warriors -- with championship aspirations and a veteran core of stars in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green -- went with upside, drafting raw, talented teenagers with their first selection in the NBA draft. 

First, it was 7-foot center James Wiseman out of Memphis with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft. LaMelo Ball still was on the board, and it was announced earlier in the day that Thompson tore his Achilles during an offseason workout in Southern California after rehabbing his torn ACL and would have to miss a second straight season. Still, the Warriors couldn't pass on the chance to take the 19-year-old big man deemed the top high school player in the 2019 class, one who was seen as the eventual top pick going into his freshman season at Memphis before playing only three college games. 

The next year, they saw Jonathan Kuminga fall in their lap with the No. 7 pick -- one they received in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that also gave them All-Star Andrew Wiggins. Kuminga, a 6-foot-8 wing, reclassified in high school to the Class of 2020 and was ranked behind only future top picks in Jalen Green, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley. Instead of going the college route, he went straight to the pros for the G League Ignite and averaged 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as an 18-year-old. 

But he shot just 38.7 percent from the field in the G League, made only 24.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and was a 62.5 percent shooter from the free throw line. Those numbers weren't going to cut it at the next level. Kuminga also showed bad decision-making and a lack of defensive awareness at times. Reminder: He was 18 years old at the time, going up against grown men as a professional, and only had a limited amount of time to play high school basketball in the United States after moving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2016.

The Warriors went with the talent and never looked back. They also might have had a little sneak peek of Kuminga's talent from none other than Wiseman. The two played against each other in AAU during the summer of 2017, and before the 2020 draft they were both working out in Miami, even together at times. 

"I think that's the first time I met him, that's where we became cool -- from there," Kuminga said of playing against Wiseman when he was a freshman and Wiseman was a junior. "Before his pre-draft workouts he was in Miami and I was out there, so we were working out together sometimes and we ended up getting drafted here."

When the Warriors selected Kuminga, they had to be envisioning a future frontcourt of him and Wiseman. If all went right, they'd both break through their sky-high ceilings. Two former five-star prospects, two top picks who essentially both skipped college and two of the best pure athletes to put on a Warriors jersey in years. 

It was Golden State's way of being, as one might say, light years ahead again -- building the future with eyes on the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the present. Unlimited talent, unlimited possibilities. 

"They're both freaks of nature athletically," Steve Kerr recently said of Kuminga and Wiseman. "Guys just don't come around like that. The potential is there for an incredible front line."

Potential can be a dangerous word, though. One that can see clear skies and nothing but sun at times, with the weather going all gray, windy and wet at others. The sun wants to get past the dark days, it just isn't always that easy. That's been the case for Kuminga at times in his rookie year, but especially true for Wiseman to begin his career. 

At 19 years old, Wiseman started the season-opener in 2020 and put up 19 points against Kevin Durant's Brooklyn Nets. His next game was on Christmas against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks and he dropped 18 in a blowout loss. But Wiseman also looked lost throughout his rookie year, raising questions about his fit in the Warriors' system. He missed multiple games to injuries and his season was cut short due to a knee injury. 

Wiseman underwent surgery on his meniscus in April. He then needed an additional arthroscopic cleanup procedure in December and still hasn't played a game this season. Kuminga now has played in 47 games as a rookie, and Wiseman has played only 39 in his career. Now, Wiseman is inching to his return, expediting a Wiseman-Kuminga duo in the now and in the future. 

"There's thousands of hours of work that it takes to get there, and those are hours are just being put in," Kerr said. "For JK, this is the first year. For James, he's been out for almost a year and still hasn't had a summer league, still hasn't had a training camp.

"So, there's a ton of work ahead. The potential is there for them to both be great players in the league."

As Wiseman has waited to make his return, he has witnessed Kuminga's rise into a future Warriors star. Kuminga was inactive for the first five games of the season. He's now one of the Warriors' most important players, one Kerr asked to guard LeBron James to get the rookie ready for the playoffs. Wiseman once was seen as the prized jewel of the Warriors' future. Now, Kuminga has taken his place on the podium.

It could have been easy for Wiseman to grow a little jealous, to show frustrations at how his career has started compared to Kuminga's. In reality, the two are close and Wiseman immediately shined a bright smile when asked about watching Kuminga this season. 

"I'm actually proud of the dude because he works hard every day," Wiseman said. "I'm very grateful that he's on the team with us, and I'm just very proud that he's out there doing his thing."

Wiseman fully believes in his abilities, just as the Warriors do. Juan Toscano-Anderson recently said Wiseman was a "monster" in a scrimmage, and the young center is focused solely on keeping it simple when he returns. He also emphasized basketball being a team game and how he loves seeing his other young teammates thrive, saying "it makes it even better." 

To Kuminga, all Wiseman needs to do is be himself when he returns. Even though Wiseman hasn't played in a game since April 10 of last year, Kuminga believes he'll fit right in -- just as he now has with the Warriors. 

"I feel like as soon as he gets back, he just needs to get more comfortable and he's gonna help us too," Kuminga said. "Our connection is still gonna be there, because that's just the team. That's just who we are."

RELATED: Wiseman focused on own career, not draft class comparisons

Curry, who turns 34 next month, is signed through the 2025-26 season. Green (32 next month) and Thompson (32) are under contract through the 2023-24 season (Green has a player option for 2023-24 season). The Warriors of course will keep their original Big Three in San Francisco for as long as possible before one day building statues of them outside of Chase Center. 

The health of Steph, Klay and Draymond hold the fate of the Warriors' championship hopes now and in the next few years. On the other side, the Warriors' dreams of extending a dynasty and finding sustained success as yearly contenders rests on the growth and development of Wiseman and Kuminga.

The potential is there for an incredible front line, with thousands of hours of work to go.

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