LAS VEGAS – Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga made his 2022 Summer Championship debut against the New York Knicks Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center after skipping the California Classic in San Francisco to spend more time with his family in the Congo.
The 19-year-old joined the team in Las Vegas on Wednesday, and his dominance in a tag team scrimmage on Thursday suggested his Summer League debut would present more or less the same at both ends of the court. But it didn’t exactly go as planned.
Even a player entering his second NBA season with championship experience isn’t immune to the rust that comes with missing weeks of action. Kuminga finished with just four points on 2-for-10 shooting in just under 24 minutes, missed all four of his 3-point attempts, four free throw attempts and committed a record five turnovers in the Warriors 101. -88 loss.
“I think for him, he hadn’t played in a while and he was a little behind because he didn’t have the California Classic,” the United States summer league head coach said. Warriors, Jama Mahlalela. “So there was a bit of rust in his game, as we’ve all seen.”
Kuminga, who started on Friday, was called back to the bench by Mahlalela less than four minutes into the match. This initial stretch featured an air balloon midrange jumper on his first attempt of the game, a reckless forward pass that resulted in a turnover, a brick 3-pointer, and an uncontrollable layering attempt that resulted in another turnover. His restless night continued to snowball from there.
At times, Kuminga looked visibly frustrated, and that’s understandable, considering he was functioning well outside of his comfort zone for most of the game.
It’s Mahlalela’s job this summer to identify which areas of Kuminga’s game can help the Warriors win next season, and which areas need improvement. Conclusive results can’t be pulled off without a bit of experimentation, so Mahlalela occasionally used Kuminga as his primary ball handler, including in pick-and-roll action and creating for others. These are skills that Kuminga didn’t get a chance to develop during his rookie season.
The only way to improve in these areas is through experience. While Kuminga didn’t thrive in the role on Friday night, Mahlalela thinks it’s a recipe for improvement. And as Kuminga continues to make this transition, he must be patient with himself as the organization will continue to be with him.
“I think it’s about learning some of these new things, he’s going to be frustrated,” Mahlalela said. “Every time you try something new and it doesn’t work well, you’re going to be frustrated. So I think it’s part of the process of growing up and maturing.
Moses Moody of the Golden State Warriors drives the ball during an NBA 2k23 Summer League basketball game against the New York Knicks Friday, July 8, 2022 in Las Vegas.
Miranda Alam / Special for The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody defends New York Knicks?• Miles McBride during an NBA 2k23 Summer League basketball game Friday, July 8, 2022 in Las Vegas.
Miranda Alam / Special for The ChronicleMoody can’t miss
Those worried about Kuminga’s summer league debut should find some solace in Moses Moody’s performance. He, too, struggled on his debut at the California Classic, scoring just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting with five turnovers (and wasn’t a big factor in the event overall). But the sophomore goalie was in fine form midway through the season on Friday, as he dropped a game-high 34 points on 8-of-13 shooting while going 15-of-17 from the free throw line. He scored 20 points in the first half alone.
Moody’s full offensive arsenal was on display – spot the 3-pointers, mid-range jumpers, sharp layups, powerful contact finishes. He dominated in a way many thought he would at the start of the California Classic, and now he’s found his groove.
“When the summer league started, my mindset was really just go out there, don’t force anything, let the game play, let the game come,” he said. “That’s how it usually goes. You just trust the process and trust your teammates and play good basketball.
Moody’s big night was somewhat marred by the Warriors’ loss and an apparent stomach problem that cut short his postgame press conference. Mahlalela loved what he saw of Moody’s attack, but said there were obviously things he could have done better on the other end.
“Moses hit the free-throw line a ton today, it was impressive for him to come down and find those attacks,” Mahlalela said. “I thought defensively he could continue to grow and improve in some areas where he needed to be better with the ball. So the attacking side was great, but there’s a lot of room for him, and we’ll show that on the film, to improve in defense.
CJ Holmes covers the Warriors for The San Francisco Chronicle. E-mail:
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@CjHolmes22
