The emergence of Jonathan Kuminga has been one of, if not the, biggest storylines for the Warriors heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.
The 21-year-old showed signs early in the season that he was ready to make a move, but was limited to a reserve role early on before a game – and a difficult conversation – changed Kuminga's trajectory in his third year.
Kuminga was benched for the remaining 18 minutes of the Warriors' 130-127 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 4 at Chase Center after scoring 16 points in 18:57 on the court, a decision Golden State took fans and former lottery winners alike didn't like it.
The Athletics' Shams Charania reported the following day that Kuminga had “lost confidence” in Kerr and that his bench appearance against the Nuggets was “the straw that broke the camel's back.”
Sensing his young star's growing frustration, Kerr invited Kuminga to his office for a chat later that week. Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer reported in his latest report.
The conversation was productive and Kuminga shared with Fischer what he had told Kerr in that private meeting.
“I just told him how I felt, he told me how he felt,” Kuminga told Yahoo! Sports. “He wanted me to do more to get more playing time. “After that I just go out there and enjoy it, enjoy playing for him. He trains me harder. Sometimes you don't understand things until they come to mind.
“Someone wants big things for you, so they train you harder. I think that was it, except he trained me harder every time because he wants big things from me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be in this place. I wouldn’t have that kind of spirit to go out there and play.”
Kerr felt that Kuminga was not as focused on the court as he should have been and that his interactions with his coach since the private meeting had lit a fire under him.
“He felt like I wasn’t locked up,” Kuminga told Fischer. “In basketball, every possession counts, so I just wasn't fixated on specific possessions.” He told me, “You have to do the little things that help our team.” He repeats that every time we talk.
“People think I’ve switched gears. That's not it, no. I just had to keep going and keep developing every day. Lock up more. It's not the haircut. I had a mindset already set.”
Kuminga has remained a mainstay in the Warriors' starting lineup despite Draymond Green's return from an indefinite suspension and has been a catalyst for the team's recent success leading up to the NBA All-Star break.
Kerr and the Warriors will rely on Kuminga now more than ever as they attempt to climb the Western Conference and secure a top-six playoff spot.
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