The Golden State Warriors drafted Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick in 2021. Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers has revealed the reason why he selected the forward out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In an appearance on the “Tom Tolbert Show,” Myers was asked about his perspective on Kuminga’s potential back then. The thinking was the Warriors were preparing for the eventual decline of Steph Curry. They wanted someone who has the potential to be the next face of the franchise.
“There was a contingent of fans and media, and some people in the organization that thought, let’s get somebody more ready to play. But when you draft high, what I believe and we believe was, it’s a chance to take a swing and get that Tracy McGrady type guy,” Myers said.
Kuminga has shown flashes here and there of his potential, but he’s at odds with Steve Kerr on how he’s being used. The situation got worse in the offseason when there was a standoff between the player and the franchise regarding a contract extension.
Some of the players the Warriors could have gotten instead of Kuminga include Franz Wagner, Alperen Sengun, Trey Murphy III and Jalen Johnson. At just 23 years old, JK still has the time to develop, though he’s still linked to a possible trade once he becomes eligible on January 15, 2026.
Joe Lacob Wanted To Draft Jonathan Kuminga
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater last month, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob was high on Jonathan Kuminga’s potential. Some members of the coaching staff wanted to draft Franz Wagner, who looked like a seamless fit to the team back then.
“(Joe) Lacob has been a central figure in Kuminga’s NBA career since the beginning. Bob Myers was team president and (Mike) Dunleavy assistant general manager when they drafted Kuminga in 2021. They gave the collective green light, but Lacob was a driving force in the selection when others, including a few on the coaching staff, voiced a Franz Wagner preference, sources said,” Charania wrote.
Lacob was also reportedly against trading Kuminga as part of a trade package involving Alex Caruso in 2023. Caruso ended up with the Oklahoma City Thunder and helped them win the 2025 NBA Championship.
Steve Kerr Praises Jonathan Kuminga After Preseason Loss
Jonathan Kuminga and Steve Kerr don’t have the best coach-player relationship, but the four-time NBA champion coach had some kind words for his player on Sunday. Kerr was pleased with Kuminga’s effort on the offensive floor in the Warriors’ 126-116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I’ve been very pleased with just the approach, the effort. I thought tonight he ran the floor hard. He had a couple of plays in the third quarter, where he sprinted and took a defender with him, and we got shots behind the play. That’s a hugely important trait that we need from everybody,” Kerr said.
Kerr plans to use Kuminga off the bench and give him the proper spacing he needs to thrive, as per Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard. He’s going to put Kuminga with players who can stretch the floor like Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Al Horford and Quinten Post.
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