Jonathan Kuminga aspires to be regarded like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant
The top four prospects in the 2021 NBA draft seem to be a lock to be selected by the first four teams. Beyond that, how the draft will pan out is murky.
After Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs, it’s unclear who will be the next selections.
One of the popular names projected to go in the lottery is Jonathan Kuminga, who opted to play for the G League Ignite squad instead of playing collegiate basketball.
Kuminga, 18, is one of the youngest prospects in this year’s draft class. Over the course of 13 G-League games, Kuminga averaged 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks in 32.8 minutes per game.
Kuminga, listed between 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-8, shot 38.7% from the field on 14.3 attempts per game and 24.6% from 3-point range on 5.0 attempts.
He’s one of the rawest prospects in the draft based on age and production, but his potential enthralls the NBA spectrum.
Whichever team drafts him will have to develop him properly, but Kuminga wants to become one of the best players in the league, according to one G League coach, via David Aldridge of The Athletic:
“He has the mindset. He wants to be in that LeBron, Kobe, Harden conversation. He doesn’t shy away from it at all. He’s willing to fail, and keep working at it, and fail again until he figures it out.”
Kuminga will have to put in the work to insert himself as a top talent in the NBA, but putting him in the right situation is also imperative.
Teams that could select Kuminga include the Orlando Magic, who have two top-10 picks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have the No. 6 pick.
The NBA draft will transpire on July 29.
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