Jonathan Kuminga is ready to step up and become one of the Warriors' top offensive weapons.
95.7 The Game's Whitley Sandretto recently asked Kuminga if he believed he could become Golden State's No. 2 scoring option behind Steph Curry.
“I will take you back to last year,” Kuminga told Sandretto this week at Warriors training camp in Hawaii. “I started kind of slow because I was trying to find my identity. I was trying to fit around new guys who came around the team. And as I kept going, I kind of took that responsibility, and it’s because my teammates trusted me, my coaches trusted me. They pushed me to be that guy. ...
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“I learned a lesson that I could come to this year and be that guy and not force anything and be there when they need me to be. ... Being the best second guy isn’t just coming in, dropping 30 [points] every night. Basketball doesn’t work that way. ...
"I see myself doing it. I see myself helping and taking that load off Steph, but we got a lot of great players. It's just a matter of who has the best night."
Kuminga on his ability to be the Warriors second scorer alongside Steph:
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 4, 2024
“I learned a lesson that I could come to this year and be that guy and not force anything… I see myself doing it. See myself helping and taking that load off Steph, but we got a lot of great players.” pic.twitter.com/XG6ZXWK1MP
The Warriors picked Kuminga No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, knowing that he had lots of raw talent that needed to be polished and refined.
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The 21-year-old made huge strides during his third season, averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game -- all career highs. Kuminga had his fair share of struggles, too, clashing with coach Steve Kerr over lineup decisions and being benched at critical moments.
The Warriors had opportunities to pursue big-time trades and free agents this offseason, but they decided to keep their core mostly intact, betting that the likes of Kuminga, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski will continue their improvement curves.
Now, with the official start of the 2024-2025 NBA season just a few weeks away, Kuminga can assert himself as Golden State’s No. 2 scoring option.