Tag: Jonathan Kuminga

Jonathan Kuminga looking to take All-Star leap this summer

Jonathan Kuminga believes this summer will go a long way to dictating if he can have be an All-Star next season.

Jonathan Kuminga’s emergence as a genuine starting-level talent for the Golden State Warriors was a bright spot of the season. The third-year forward was impressed with his athleticism, rim pressure and defensive upside. He started 46 of his 74 games for Steve Kerr’s team.

Golden State’s offense had a different element when Kuminga was on the floor. He gave them a more direct outlet when looking to pressure the rim and force defensive collapses. His athleticism is another wrinkle that will make the Warriors’ offense more unpredictable in the coming years.

With his increased role and his undoubted skillset, Kuminga is hoping to take a developmental leap this summer and contend for an All-Star selection.

“It’s all going to depend on how I take this summer,” Kuminga said. “It’s all going o come down to how I go through this summer. Anything is possible. I feel like I could do it going into next year.”

Kuminga, 21, was selected with the seventh pick in the 2021 draft. Since entering the NBA, he has been projected as a future All-Star. This season was the first real glimpse of his overall upside, as he looked capable of forcing himself into the All-Star conversation.

Kuminga will likely get increased opportunity within Golden State’s rotation next season. He’s proven that he’s capable of impacting winning at the NBA level, and Golden State will likely be making some changes to their roster. As such, if Kuminga can improve during the summer, he will be taking a big step toward All-Star consideration.

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Steve Kerr reveals a potential new role for Jonathan Kuminga

Steve Kerr noted that Jonathan Kuminga’s role could change following his return to the Golden State Warriors rotation from a knee injury.

Jonathan Kuminga returned to the Golden State Warriors rotation on Sunday after missing the past six games due to a knee injury.

In his absence, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis have developed a fearsome defensive partnership. As such, Kuminga found himself working with the second unit.

When speaking to the media following the Warriors’ latest win, Steve Kerr noted Kuminga will likely have a different role within the rotation. The Warriors will try to utilize his athleticism and rim pressure off the bench.

“JK did a great job tonight,” Kerr said. “He looked bouncy and strong. I watched him work out yesterday, he got a great workout in. The decision to start Brandin was based on combinations with Steph out. We want to keep starting Draymond and Trayce for defensive reasons. … Bringing Jonathan off the bench and watching him run the floor and attack the rim. That’s a great dynamic to have off the bench. … If JK’s coming off the bench and he plays the way he did tonight, great. We’ll figure it out.”

Kuminga has enjoyed a strong season with the Warriors. He has started 44 of his 71 games this season. He has proven himself a potential All-Star. His athleticism has ensured Golden State has the option for a more direct style of play.

Regardless of whether Kuminga comes off the bench or is part of the starting unit, he will undoubtedly have a significant role to play in Golden State’s chances of success in the coming weeks. His play will be key to Golden State’s perimeter and wing defense, as will his ability to bully his way to the rim. Kuminga has proven he is ready to handle whatever task is thrown his way.

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Jonathan Kuminga understood why he was moved to Warriors’ bench

Jonathan Kuminga discussed being moved to the bench following his return to the Golden State Warriors rotation.

Jonathan Kuminga returned to the Golden State Warriors rotation on Sunday for his team’s 110-118 win over the Utah Jazz. He had missed the previous six games with a knee injury.

In his absence, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Draymond Green have formed a fearsome defensive duo in the frontcourt.

As a result, Kuminga was relegated to a bench role for Steve Kerr. He ended the game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists on 81.8% shooting. When speaking to the media after the game, Kuminga noted he understood why he was coming off the bench, and that the Warriors had to stick with a lineup that has been making an impact in recent weeks.

“It doesn’t affect me at the end of the day,” Kuminga said. “As long as I know, I can go out there and affect us winning. That’s all that matters. Everybody could play. At the end of the day, it’s the coach’s decision. If that’s how they feel, and everything is moving well, why would you want to go away from what’s moving well. Me personally, I think since I’ve been out, everything has been moving just fine. … We’re just gonna stick with what’s helping us win.”

Kuminga has been a core part of the Warriors rotation this season. His athleticism has provided Kerr’s team with a different dimension when attacking the rim. He’s also shined as a wing defender.

The Warriors have secured at least the 10th seed in the Western Conference. They will need to win two play-in tournament games to qualify for the postseason. Having Kuminga in the rotation and performing at a high level off the bench will be vital to the team’s chances of making it to the postseason and potentially embarking on a run.

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Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga to return on Sunday vs. Jazz after missing six games

After missing six games due to a knee injury, Jonathan Kuminga is set to return to the court on Sunday against the Utah Jazz.

While Steph Curry will miss Sunday’s contest against the Utah Jazz for a rest day, the Golden State Warriors will welcome back a key contributor in the rotation.

After a six-game absence due to a knee injury, Jonathan Kuminga is slated to make his return to the court on Sunday against the Jazz at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

Via @anthonyVslater on X, formerly known as Twitter:

In his third season since being drafted by the Warriors in 2021, Kuminga is averaging a career-best 16.3 points per game on 52.8% shooting from the field to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 70 games.

Along with Curry, the Warriors will be without Andrew Wiggins for the second consecutive game due to an ankle injury. With Curry and Wiggins out, the Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski and Chris Paul alongside Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Kuminga will come off the bench in his return.

The Warriors will welcome Collin Sexton, Keyonte George and the Jazz at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Bay Area.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Steve Kerr hopeful Jonathan Kuminga (knee) can return on Friday vs. Mavs

After he was ruled out for his fifth straight game, Steve Kerr provided an injury update on Jonathan Kuminga.

After scoring in double-figures in 11 straight games, Jonathan Kuminga is set to miss his fifth consecutive game with a bilateral knee injury. While he worked out with the team and scrimmaged early on Thursday morning, the Warriors ruled out the 21-year-old forward against the Houston Rockets for his fifth consecutive missed game.

Before the Warriors started their two-game Texas road trip on Thursday, Steve Kerr provided an update regarding Kuminga’s injury status. The Warriors head coach said he’s hopeful Kuminga can return for the second-leg of their road swing on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

He played the day of the Dallas game in a scrimmage, he scrimmaged. He scrimmaged again this morning. Just didn’t feel quite ready. Training staff said they felt strongly we should give him another night off. We’re hopeful for tomorrow, but we will see how he feels tomorrow.

He’s doing a lot better. It’s good he’s gotten a couple of days of conditioning in and work. Like I said, hopefully tomorrow.

Via @NBCSWarriors on X:

Kuninga is averaging 16.3 points on 52.9% shooting from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc with 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 70 games this season. Prior to his injury, Kuminga had tallied double-figure scoring numbers in 15 of his last 16 games, including 11 straight.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Injury Report: Jonathan Kuminga (knee) to miss fifth straight game on Thursday vs. Rockets

The Golden State forward is set to miss his fifth straight game on Thursday against the Houston Rockets.

Despite riding a five-game win streak, the Golden State Warriors have been without a key piece in the starting rotation for the last four games. While signs pointed towards his return, Jonathan Kuminga will miss his fifth straight game on Thursday against the Houston Rockets.

Although he worked out on Tuesday and scrimmaged on Thursday morning, Kuminga has been ruled out against the Rockets due to bilateral knee tendonitis.

Via @anthonyVslater on Twitter:

According to Steve Kerr, Kuminga “didn’t feel ready.” However, the Warriors head coach is hopeful Kuminga can return on the second leg of Golden State’s Texas back-to-back on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Via @kendra__andrews on Twitter:

With Kuminga out, the Warriors will likely keep veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Rockets. The Warriors will tip off against the Rockets at 5 p.m. PT on Thursday evening in Houston.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Kevon Looney: ‘I had the best years of my career learning from Dejan Milojevic’

Kevon Looney, a mainstay with the Warriors during their most successful years, has had various roles throughout his career with the team. His experiences extend beyond the court, too, including a recording session with rapper MAYZIN, where he lent …

Kevon Looney, a mainstay with the Warriors during their most successful years, has had various roles throughout his career with the team. His experiences extend beyond the court, too, including a recording session with rapper MAYZIN, where he lent his voice to the single ‘Hot Coffee’.

On behalf of Invisalign, the Warriors’ big man spoke with HoopsHype on the unfortunate passing of coach Dejan Milojevic, the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga, the struggles of the season, and more.

Watch: Jonathan Kuminga’s dunk highlights

The Golden State Warriors YouTube channel has released a highlight reel of Jonathan Kuminga’s dunks this season.

This season, Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as a genuine second option for the Golden State Warriors. The third-year forward has impressed with his athleticism, physicality and ability to pressure the rim. As such,  Steve Kerr has promoted the explosive forward into the Warriors starting lineup and has been rewarded by impressive displays.

With Kuminga in the rotation, the Warriors have a dimension they’ve lacked in recent seasons. His ability to finish through contact and explode in traffic has made Golden State’s offensive system far more dynamic and led to some highlight-level plays.

Everybody loves dunk highlights, especially when one of their team’s young stars throws them down. As such, the Warriors YouTube channel recently released a highlight reel of Kuminga’s dunks this season, with each one getting progressively stronger throughout the video.

You can watch the full highlight reel of Kuminga’s dunks by clicking on the embedded video above.

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Watch: Draymond Green connects with Jonathan Kuminga on back-to-back lobs vs. Lakers

Draymond Green found Jonathan Kuminga at the rim for back-to-back lobs on two straight possessions against the Lakers.

Jonathan Kuminga was in the middle of the Golden State Warriors run to get a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Lakers at halftime in Hollywood. Kuminga tallied 17 points in the first half on 7-of-12 shooting with a pair of made 3-pointers.

Kuminga put an exclamation mark on his first-half performance with back-to-back dunks at the rim. Draymond Green connected with Kuninga on lobs on consecutive possessions.

Via @warriors on Twitter:

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Steve Kerr’s approachability helped elevate Jonathan Kuminga’s game

Steve Kerr’s relationship with Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga has helped bring the best out of the explosive forward this season.

Earlier this season, it was reported that Jonathan Kuminga had “lost faith” in Steve Kerr. The rumor surfaced after the third-year forward was struggling to nail down a consistent role in Kerr’s rotation. However, Kuminga has now emerged as an integral part of the Golden State Warriors starting lineup and is arguably their second option on offense behind Steph Curry.

During a recent interview with NBC Sports Boston’s Monte Poole, Kuminga revealed that some tough conversations with Kerr helped put things in perspective. He also credited Kerr’s tenure as a player in the league as a reason why the veteran head coach was able to get his message across.

“It’s always about the same thing, he always wants to help me to see the bigger picture,” Kuminga shared. “And obviously, I saw the bigger picture, but the way Steve explained it, it’s way better because he’s way older than me, he knows how life goes, he played basketball too. It’s just him telling me even everything I did good he felt I could do it better. So just him making me understand that every single day… I did not lose faith with being here. It’s not what I said. It was just definitely to a point where I felt like I need to be out there, I feel like I could help.”

Kuminga, 21, has played in 64 games for the Warriors this season. He’s averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 52.9% from the field and 31.7% from 3-point range.

If some tough conversations with Kerr are what it took to get Kuminga to his current level and work toward realizing his potential, then the friction that likely resided within the locker room was undoubtedly worth it.

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