Jonathan Kuminga has now scored over 20 points in each of his last four games. Against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday (Jan. 24.) Kuminga had a perfect shooting night, accumulating 25 points off the bench for the Golden State Warriors and helping them secure a much-needed victory.
During his post-game press conference, Kuminga revealed some advice from Draymond Green that he’s been using to help elevate his game. He noted how that advice has helped him become more decisive and aggressive on the offensive end, which likely played a key role in his stellar performance against the Hawks.
“I’m definitely gaining confidence from everybody. Mostly Draymond. Every single day, just telling me what I need to do. I remember, a couple of days ago in practice, I was hesitating a lot…He was like, ‘If you gotta pass, just pass. If you’re gonna attack, just attack. Don’t overthink.’ I feel like that stuck in my head. Every time I’m about to do something, I remember Draymond told me, ‘Just be who you are.’ That’s kind of helped me…I really appreciate Draymond doing that every single day.”
Green has been in and out of the Warriors rotation this season. The veteran forward has served two different league-imposed suspensions and has dealt with a calf injury during the opening days of the season. However, it’s clear that Green’s leadership is playing a key role in the development of Kuminga and potentially some of the other young talents on the Warriors roster.
[95.7] Kuminga on advice he got from Draymond: “Be who you are. Don’t overthink it… throughout the game, he always talks to me and explains what I need to do better. I just really appreciate Draymond doing that every single day.” (1:21)
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Kuminga’s growth has been a bright spot in a difficult season for Golden State. If he continues to take strides on both sides of the floor, he will likely find himself back in the starting line-up, either this season or in the not-too-distant future.
