Jonathan Kuminga has shown flashes of brilliance this season.
The 19-year-old rookie is no stranger to finishing high-flying, powerful dunks that shake the building, but he also has demonstrated surprisingly polished footwork from the post for a rookie. Better yet, there has been a dramatic improvement with his 3-point shot since the beginning of the season, as he shot nearly 38 percent from deep over the last 22 games after starting the season by making just two of his first 17 attempts.
While the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has not racked up a lot of minutes this season, Kuminga’s statistics show that the brilliance might not just be simple flashes here and there.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Kuminga has played in eight games this season in which he played 20 or more minutes, and the numbers reflect a player that he is already contributing at a star level with extended playing time.
On average in those eight games, Kuminga played 27 minutes and scored a fantastic 18 points per game. His efficiency also was highly impressive, hitting 58.7 percent of his shots, including 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. His nearly five rebounds per contest also showed his improvement on the boards, while his 4.4 free throw attempts per game demonstrated his ability to attack and get to the line.
By breaking down his statistics per 36 minutes of action, an even clearer picture is painted. Kuminga is averaging nearly 20 points per game per 36 minutes, which leads all rookies in that category who have played more than 30 games this season. Kuminga also is second among all rookies in free throw attempts per game at 5.9, only trailing Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets.
RELATED: Kerr talks Kuminga's biggest challenge of rookie season
Golden State Warriors
While calculating a defensive rating is usually more of a team-based statistic, Kuminga is at the very least doing his part when on the court. Kuminga leads all rookies who have played more than 30 games with a defensive rating of 101.3, even ahead of the clear-cut best defensive player in the class, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley.
While there might be some expected inconsistency from a 19-year-old rookie, Jonathan Kuminga’s ceiling is blowing the roof off Chase Center.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast