The Golden State Warriors traveled to Canada to face the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, but they were extremely shorthanded after beating the Boston Celtics on Friday night. There was no Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, or Jordan Poole. This meant Warriors rookie Jonathan Kuminga's first start of his career.
Kuminga showed glimpses of why the Warriors selected him so high in the draft. The 19-year-old finished with a career-high 26 points in the 119-100 loss. He took full advantage of playing without the team's stars on the floor.
“It's a great situation. There are days I come in and play. There are days I don't play. That's just a learning lesson. It's a long season. So you just got to stay ready every day … I'm learning every single day,” Kuminga told ClutchPoints.
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Most lottery picks get drafted to bad teams. That wasn't the case with Kuminga. He got selected by a Warriors franchise that plans to compete for a championship. It makes opportunities to get on the court sporadic. Kuminga is often in the game for specific situations, usually defensive reasons. The minimal playing time makes it challenging for a rookie to get a real feel for the game.
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Even though Kuminga isn't in the rotation daily and sometimes doesn't play at all, he's in good spirits. He's a sponge and soaks up knowledge from some of the best basketball minds in the NBA. When it's time, he will be more than ready. Kuminga has the potential to be special. He knows it, and so does this Warriors squad.
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