Kuminga details how Draymond relationship has evolved in three Warriors seasons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga enters his fourth Warriors season has built a strong relationship with a teammate Draymond Green.
Kuminga received many court counsel of GreenA 13-year veteran and four-time NBA champion, but the two always bond outside of work, too.
Kuminga, in an interview with 95.7 The Game’s Whitley Sandretto, explained how his relationship with Green has evolved since his 2021-22 rookie season.
“When I first got here, Draymond sometimes yelled at me, and I’m the kind of person where I don’t talk much until I know what you’re talking about. I just watch and observe and pay attention,” Kuminga told Sandretto this week at Warriors training camp in Hawaii. “… I had to watch Draymond. He was just trying to help me, and I trusted him.
“Just hanging out, communicating, talking about things that aren’t about basketball — family; ‘How are the children?’ ‘What did you do?’ And I feel like that’s how you create a relationship instead of talking about what you’re supposed to be doing — basketball — every time.”
Green exuded his signature hard-am leadership early on, but Kuminga, as he said, leaned into Green’s teachings.
Kuminga, who averaged career highs in minutes (26.3) and points (16.9) per game last season, enjoys keeping up with Green’s family and lifestyle, and appreciates when the veteran does the same for him.
The two are more than Warriors teammates. However, Kuminga explained that Green, as far as basketball is concerned, is a sight to behold and a huge help to his career.
“Looking [Green]watching how he plays, starting and playing a lot next to him and Steph [Curry]and things are just clicking and I’m learning how to play,” Kuminga told Sandretto. “Sometimes, I just take what I have to do and trust those two, trust Draymond.
“Since then, I’ve just been comfortable around Draymond. He’s a guy who could be anywhere, and I could just call him and say, ‘Oh, I heard you’re somewhere, let me pull up.’ That’s how our relationship is.”
Kuminga, 21, and Green, 34, should still get a lot more time as Golden State teammates. They also seem to be friends for the long distance.
“Draymond is a very cool guy,” Kuminga concluded.
