Jonathan Kuminga has become a core member of the Golden State Warriors rotation this season. The explosive forward has cemented himself in Steve Kerr‘s starting lineup and is thriving as part of the new-look frontcourt featuring Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. His improvements were once again on display as the Warriors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday (Jan. 30.)
During his post-game press conference, Kuminga admitted that a change in his mental approach to the game had fuelled his recent success. Rather than worrying about earning minutes on the floor, he has begun to focus on ways to improve his overall game, which has led to him earning a bigger role within the rotation.
“I always feel like I have a role,” Kuminga said. “It’s just a matter of fact of getting better day-to-day. As much as I get better, they will start trusting me and giving me those types of minutes. I’m not just going to go out there and do things I’m not supposed to do and expect to play 30 minutes. Just go out there and give all I’ve got. Obviously, they see it, they trust me, and give me those minutes.”
Kuminga has started 17 of the 43 games he’s played in this season. He will likely remain in the starting lineup moving forward. His athleticism and explosiveness give the Warriors a different dimension on both sides of the floor and give Golden State a genuine fast-break scorer who can help ease the pressure on some veteran contributors.
"I'm not just going to go out there and do the things that I'm not supposed to do, and expect to play 30 minutes."
JK's game has taken off as he focuses on getting better, not earning more minutes 🚀 pic.twitter.com/8tfcoDjN7A
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 31, 2024
Kuminga, 21, is only scratching the surface of his potential. As his role begins to solidify and he continues to work on his game, he will evolve into a more complete player at the NBA level. As with all young players, Kuminga’s initial focus has likely been on earning minutes within the rotation. Now that his focused has switched toward incremental improvements, he will likely begin making strides toward realizing that potential.
