Can Kuminga be Warriors No. 2 scorer? ‘I see myself doing it’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga is ready to step up and become one of the Warriors’ main offensive weapons.
95.7 Whitley Sandretto of The Game recently asked Kuminga if he believed he could become Golden State’s No. 2 scoring option behind Steph Curry.
“I’ll take you back to last year,” Kuminga told Sandretto this week at Warriors training camp in Hawaii. “I started a little slow because I was trying to find my identity. I tried to fit in with new guys that came around the team. And as I went on, 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. …
“I learned a lesson that I could come in this year and be that guy and not force anything and be there when they need me. … Being the second best guy isn’t just going 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 of 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:
“I learned a lesson that I could come in this year and be that guy and not force anything. … I see myself doing it. See me helping out and taking that burden off of Steph, but we got a lot of great players.” pic.twitter.com/XG6ZXWK1MP
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) 4 October 2024
The Warriors selected Kuminga #7 overall the 2021 NBA Draftknowing that he had a lot of raw talent that had to be polished and refined.
The 21 year old did 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 a coach Steve Kerr over lineup decisions and being a bench in critical moments.
The Warriors had opportunities to engage in big trades and free agents this offseason, but they decided to keep their core largely intact, betting that the likes of Kuminga, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski would 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.
