The Golden State Warriors turned some heads on NBA draft night with their selections of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. But it wasn't the players themselves that puzzled outsiders, it was the fact that they picked players at all.
The buzz with the Warriors always felt like a trade was imminent. It may not have been a massive one involving an All-Star and a James Wiseman-Andrew Wiggins package trading places, but a move for some win-now veterans seemed all too logical. But could Kuminga be more ready to contribute than people give him credit for? Kuminga himself, at least, seems to think so.
The Warriors rookie spoke out on his NBA-readiness after his NBA Summer League debut, a 94-87 loss to the Miami Heat, via The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
“I feel like I can impact right away. Just get ready, learn all the plays. Just try to stay around Steph and Klay and Draymond and learn a lot of stuff real quick, and I feel like I can impact things right away.”
Here’s some Jonathan Kuminga sound on his summer league debut and brief early conversations with Draymond/Steph/Klay pic.twitter.com/UqUNz3FuTd
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) August 5, 2021
The Warriors rookies in Kuminga and Moody are considered extremely raw prospects. But both showed flashes in their first taste of hoops action after getting drafted. Moody led the way for GSW with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Kuminga added 18 points and three boards of his own.
It remains to be seen what the Warriors' final plans for their young players will be this season. But safe to say Jonathan Kuminga plans to learn all he can from Stephen Curry and Co.
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