Jonathan Kuminga's path to the Warriors was paved with a stint on the G-League Ignite -- an upstart team based in Walnut Creek with the intention of developing NBA prospects.
The Ignite -- which is owned by the league -- announced the 2023-24 season would be its last, NBA G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced in a statement released on Thursday.
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The decision to cease operations comes on the heels of the significant changes to the NCAA landscape with the transfer portal and NIL restructure.
There was a solid track record of success for the Ignite, serving as a springboard to the league for a handful of top prospects, producing 10 players who were selected in the NBA draft over the last three seasons. Kuminga was the third-highest draft pick to be selected after playing for the Ignite, with Golden State selecting the dynamic wing No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Only Jalen Green (No. 2 overall in 2021) and Scoot Henderson (No. 3 overall in 2023) were selected higher than Kuminga after a stint with the Ignite.
"Four years ago, we started Ignite to fill a void in the basketball landscape, and I'm proud of the contributions we were able to make to that ecosystem," Abdur-Rahim said in his statement. " With the changing environment across youth and collegiate basketball, now is the right time to take this step. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to general manager Anthony McClish, head coach Jason Hard and their staff and to each player who wore an Ignite jersey, As ever, the G League's commitment to developing top NBA talent and helping their NBA dreams is unwavering."
Golden State Warriors
While the Ignite will cease to operate at the conclusion of this season, the Warriors forever will be grateful for the launching pad the Ignite served for Kuminga's leap into the NBA.
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