Kerr believes Kuminga looks like ‘different guy’ amid hot stretch

Kerr believes Kuminga looks like ‘different guy’ amid hot stretch originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga has shown glimpses of his NBA potential, but not on a consistent basis.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, however, believes the 22-year-old is on the right track amid a promising stretch.

“He looks like a different guy to me,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” “Honestly, these last five games, I think the light switch has gone on, and you can see it in the rebounding. I think he’s averaging about eight rebounds over that stretch. The ball movement, I thought his passing in the second quarter [against the Philadelphia 76ers] really unlocked the game. He was penetrating, getting to space and then moving it. And then we just started to move the ball from there.

“He’s one of the guys, along with Steph [Curry], who can break down the defense. But I think in the past, he’s looked at scoring once he’s broken the defense down and pulling up and shooting maybe some mid-range shots that we don’t need in the middle of the shot clock. The last few games, he’s really looking to attack and get the ball moving, which helps our overall offense. So I love what JK is doing. He’s playing hard. There’s an awareness of what’s happening. He looks fantastic. I’m really excited. I think he’s breaking through.”

Kuminga, in Year 4, is averaging 16.9 points on 45.6 percent from the field, with 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists through 31 games. But over the last five contests, he’s averaging 24 points on 52 percent shooting from the field, adding 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 31.2 minutes.

The Warriors (17-16) opened the New Year with a needed win but sit in ninth place in the Western Conference after opening the 2024-25 season on an impressive high note.

Golden State continues its search for a big-name star to pair with Curry as a secondary scoring option. While Kuminga has, at times, proven he could be that for the Warriors, he’s certainly well on his way to becoming that reliable player.

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