"If this team does go to an NBA championship, he’s the X-Factor" - Dan Devone on Golden State Warriors youngster whose stock continues to rise
Dan Devone has hailed rookie Jonathan Kuminga for his impact on the Golden State Warriors.
Kuminga has had a stellar rookie season. Thanks to his recent performances, experts have touted him as key to the Golden State Warriors chances of winning the championship. Devone, in an appearance on the 'Kolsky and Company' podcast, echoed the same sentiments as he heaped praise on the youngster.
The Emmy Award winner said that the unpredictability that comes with Kuminga could make him a formidable proposition in the playoffs. His ability to dunk the ball and score quickly has won him praise. Devone said about the talented rookie:
"If this team does go to an NBA championship, he’s the X-Factor. That’s the dude who is going to get you there."
Elaborating on how Kuminga could impact the team, Devone added:
"Well Steph will be Steph right, Klay's gonna be Klay, Draymond's coming back and Draymond's Draymond and then you get whatever it is that you get out of Jordan Poole. The one guy that nobody in the West, whether it's Phoenix or Utah or anybody in the East, knows how to defend or has a book on is Jonathan Kuminga, and nobody knows including the Warriors and Steve Kerr, maybe including Jonathan Kuminga has any idea just how impactful this guy could be."
"I'm just saying there's a chance that if he grows and cracks that rotation when it comes to the playoffs and stays on this pace another two months, this could be a dude that no one knows how to defend and plays a key role because they know what Steph and Klay are gonna do; nobody has an answer how to stop this guy, who potentially could make a name for himself in the postseason."
Jonathan Kuminga's standout performance for the Warriors has to be his 18-point outing against the LA Lakers. The 19-year-old scored his points on 8-11 shooting from the field.
He dominated the paint and also chipped in with nine rebounds. The youngster has all the tricks needed to thrive in the NBA. If he continues his good work, Kuminga could become one of the best young talents in the league.
How good has Jonathan Kuminga been for the Golden State Warriors?
Jonathan Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and arrived at the Golden State Warriors with a lot of hype.
The Warriors were playing some terrific basketball at the start of the season. Kuminga was nursing an injury, which meant he took some time to get into action. However, when he started playing, the rookie looked absolutely sharp. He attacked the rim aggressively, and was a menace in the paint.
Kuminga has averaged only 14.3 minutes per game this season. However, the impact he has had despite his limited minutes is impressive. The rookie is averaging 7.9 PPG on 50.4% shooting from the field.
His style of play is different from that of regular rookies. As the season has wore on, Kuminga has given Bay Area fans a lot of reasons to be excited about the future.