The Golden State Warriors are an iconic franchise especially for their exploits with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant in the recent past. The franchise are on the top of the list for many rookies as they have been a great franchise to help youngsters grow into superstars.
With Thompson returning and Curry firing on all cylinders, the Bay Arena can be a great place for any youngster. The Warriors this season have picked Jonathan Kuminga as their #7 draft pick and according to several experts, he is a talent that the Warriors fans should look forward to.
Kuminga recently was lauded by Phoenix Suns assistant coach Jarret Jack. The retired NBA star who is a coach now plied his trade for the Warriors in the 2012-13 season. Jack till now has that soft corner for the Warriors. Jarrett Jack was with a G League team named Ignite where he was a veteran mentor of Kuminga and there he saw the youngster perform and was very impressed with him.
Therefore the Suns assistant coach praised the new addition to the Warriors in an interview. He said, “He has the length, the athleticism, and the wingspan to be disruptive on defence offensively, he’s still learning how to go about his business on the perimeter. He played a lot of (center) in high school, so he’s used to playing in the trenches. But if he brings that motor to the perimeter side, he’ll be a force.”
Jarrett Jack then made some lofty claims as he compared the youngster to the Clipper’s talisman Kawhi Leonard, claiming that the traits are very similar. He added, “JK’s (Jonathan Kuminga) a tremendous athlete, has the strength to get into those ‘Kawhi (Leonard) areas,’ like the foul line, the dotted lines, and top of the key.”
Jack recently signed up as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns and he revealed that his advice to Kuminga was to be very for suggestions and act like a sponge. While JK might not be the Rookie of the Year for the upcoming season, Jack feels that the young forward has a lot of potential.
“The Ignite was his first time playing against a scheme defense. He’d never really seen it before. So, while he’s going to go shoot 1,000 jump shots every day, or whatever, he has to make sure he’s working on the cerebral side too, ” Jack revealed.
The former GSW point guard has stated that Kuminga will have a very limited role in a team with three star players. Hence he feels that the Congolese forward will have to adjust to a new environment. Jarrett added, “Draymond will be vocal, Steph is a source of inspiration, and Klay sets an example of just handling your business. JK has to know: “I can’t leave the gym early if Steph and Klay are there for three hours. That looks bad. I can’t not know my assignments, because if not, Draymond is going to hold my feet to the fire.”
