Steve Kerr has been impressed with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga's improvement in the offseason.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, the Warriors' coach explained what he wanted Kuminga to work on in preparation for the 2022-23 NBA season.
"Well, with Jonathan, it's similar to James [Wiseman] in that you're talking about a really talented young player without a ton of experience," Kerr said. "So there are specific things that we want from him: Running the floor, rebounding, becomes a great defensive player.
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"Being able to utilize his physical size and strength and athleticism."
Kerr added that Kuminga's improvement in the aforementioned facets comes from just seeing the floor more and better understanding the NBA game. The main thing Kerr pointed out was knowing when to attack and take advantage of mismatches.
"Most of that comes with experience. So he just needs to continue on the path he's been on and I think he'll be in good shape," Kerr concluded.
Throughout his rookie year, Kuminga often showed why the Warriors drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. Kuminga's size (6-foot-8, 210 pounds), athleticism, and defensive ability were on display throughout the Warriors' championship run last season.
Golden State Warriors
The main thing now for Kuminga is putting it all together.
During his time at the FIBA World Cup qualifying games, it was clear that Kuminga was the focal point of the Democratic Republic of Congo's offense, often bringing up the ball on offense and finding open shooters, despite his age.
Regardless of what some pundits say about the teenager's attitude, it's clear that Kuminga has impressed the Warriors' coaching staff with his offseason work.
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With Kerr and the rest of the Warriors there to help Kuminga put together all the pieces to be a successful NBA player, the sky's the limit.
Even though it would be best for fans to temper their expectations, there's no doubt that Kuminga will be a crucial piece to Golden State's title defense.