Jonathan Kuminga will enter the new NBA season as arguably the best athlete on the Golden State Warriors roster. Kuminga, 21, brings size, length and explosiveness to Steve Kerr‘s rotation. He is entering his third season in the NBA, and the Warriors expect Kuminga to make a leap. There has also been talk of Chris Paul’s presence expediting his development.
Kerr recently told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater that he wants Kuminga to focus on the offensive and defensive glass. Defensively, Kerr wants his young forward boxing out early. On offense, Kuminga has been given the green light to crash the boards whenever he wants to challenge for a rebound.
“A lot of guys in this league, young players — shot goes up, and they just turn and look at the ball,” Kerr said. “So, on the defensive end, we need JK to take up space, find the guy that’s crashing early and go and hit him because there’s a lot of long rebounds. Then on the flip side, he should take advantage of all that ball watching. … We want him going every time. Go. Every time.”
Kuminga is 6-foot-8, making him one of the tallest players on Golden State’s roster. That height and athleticism ensures Kuminga is seen as a perfect candidate to be the designated rebound chaser. The Warriors hope the young wing can develop into an elite rebounder.
Last season, Kuminga’s 3-point shooting took a slight jump, going from 33.6% in his rookie season to 37%. Kuminga will want to sustain that shooting while improving as a rebounder. Golden State has the opportunity to develop its young forward into a star of the future, and they clearly see his ability on the boards as a key aspect of his game moving forward.
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