At just 19 years old, many weren’t sure what to expect from Jonathan Kuminga in his rookie season with the Warriors.
But for Dubs big man Kevon Looney, who is in his seventh season with Golden State, he knew early on the type of energy Kuminga would bring to the squad.
“I would probably say the third or second day of practice,” Looney told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Grant Liffmann on the latest episode of Dubs Talk. “I like to play one-on-one with the guys, [Jordan] Poole and him and Moses [Moody], ‘You ain't got no choice you gotta play one-on-one with me’. And playing one-on-one with them, just feeling his strength and his athleticism was pretty impressive.”
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Imagine being a newbie and Looney challenges you to a game of one-on-one.
You can’t say no, and all you can do is give it your best.
And for a then 18-year-old Kuminga, he did just that -- and more. Now, that one-on-one matchup is a direct translation to Kuminga's explosion in his first NBA season.
“I take pride in being a good defender and being pretty strong and it was kind of tough to keep him off his spots,” Looney told Liffmann. “So I’m like if he could do this on me, I feel like he could do it on anybody. He’s been showing that. He’s a guy that has an act for scoring, he’s a super athlete, everybody in the NBA is kind of athletic, but he’s on another level where he’s one of those freakish guys. He has a lot of confidence, a lot of swagger to him. I think he’s going to be a very special player in this league.”
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Kuminga is averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in just 17 minutes per game so far this season.
But the energy he brings to the court is much more significant than the numbers show. And when multiple key players were sidelined due to injuries, the rookie was forced into a unique situation with the Warriors.
The 6-foot-7 forward has gone from the new kid on the block to impressing his teammates, and now is wowing the entire league with his unbelievable athleticism.
“Most young guys when they come in, they don’t really have goto moves or a skill set down there in the post in particular,” Looney said. “Down there [in the post] his footwork was great, he takes his time, he’s very patient. And that’s something you want to teach. Even veterans have problems scoring down there in the post. And for him at a young age to be able to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line and stuff like that you just kind of learn as a veteran after your fifth or sixth year you start getting crafty like that, but he already has that.”
RELATED: Dubs GM Myers predicts playoff moments for Kuminga, Moody
While the Warriors have depended on their young guys more than expected this season, Kuminga will continue to redefine what it means to be a rookie.