#1 Jonathan Kuminga – Forward – G-League
It is definitely a long-shot to think that Jonthan Kuminga will fall to the Golden State Warriors at 7th overall, but there is possibly a scenario where this could happen. Right now, it is expected that the Orlando Magic will take Kuminga 5th overall, but what if they were to take Scottie Barnes out of Florida State instead?
Now the Thunder would be on the clock with Kuminga on the board, but OKC is rumored to be interested in Scottie Barnes, James Bouknight, Alperen Sengun and Keon Johnson, as well as Jonathan Kuminga. If Barnes goes 5th overall to Orlando, there is a very strong possibility that Jonathan Kuminga could fall to the Warriors, which is the best case scenario for Golden State in this year’s draft.
Not a lot of people know about Kuminga and his skill-level because he decided to skip playing college basketball and was one of the young talents to come straight out of high school into the NBA G-League. However, he possesses All-Star-like potential and could very well end up being one of the best players from this draft class as a result of his pure athleticism.
Standing about 6’8”, Jonathan Kuminga has the length and versatility to either play on the wing or in the low-post against smaller defenders and alongside Jalen Green, his teammate on the G-League Ignite, Kuminga may be one of the best pure athletes in this draft class.
With almost a 7-foot wingspan, Jonathan Kuminga has all the tools to be an elite-level two-way player on the wing and with his insane leaping abilities, he is a guy that will put many people on posters at the next level. Offensively, Kuminga looks to use his athleticism and ball-handling skills to drive to the rim and oftentimes does not look to shoot from deep.
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Normally, as soon as Kuminga catches the ball, he is looking to attack his opponents and get the ball in the paint, where he shoots the ball at an extremely high percentage. With all the confidence in the world in himself and his athletic abilities, Jonathan Kuminga is the best forward prospect in this year’s draft class and can definitely help a team like the Golden State Warriors for many years to come.
Injuries have obviously been Golden State’s worst enemy over the years, but their other weakness is the fact that they need more talent at the forward position. Outside of Andrew Wiggins on the wing, the Warriors do not have much depth and behind Draymond Green, the Warriors do not have much talent.
Jonathan Kuminga could immediately make an impact behind both of these players and given his potential to be a two-way star, he could learn a lot from guys like Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. Golden State is the best landing spot for Jonathan Kuminga, but a lot would need to happen before the draft for him to potentially be a Warrior.
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If everything goes right, this could end up being a draft choice that keeps the Warriors in the championship conversation for many years to come, even after Curry, Thompson and Green retire. Jonathan Kuminga has all the talent in the world, which is why him potentially falling to 7th overall in this year’s draft would be a dream come true for Golden State.
