Klay knows ‘sky's the limit' for JK after historic game vs. Hawks
Klay knows ‘sky's the limit' for JK after historic game vs. Hawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga’s electric performance against the Atlanta Hawks did not go unnoticed by his Warriors teammates, with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry voicing their praise for the budding superstar.
After shooting a perfect 11 of 11 from the field and scoring a team-leading 25 points in Golden State's emotional 134-112 win over the Hawks on Wednesday at Chase Center, Kuminga got plenty of positive recognition for his aggressive play style.
When asked if Kuminga played the type of game they were looking for, Thompson explained how important the 21-year-old’s on-court development has been.
Klay raves about JK's strides and continues to be impressed with what he's doing at only 21-years old pic.twitter.com/XFdkxR5uJR
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 25, 2024
“He’s so athletic, I think he has a 40-inch vertical, when he gets to the paint he’s so hard to stop, he gives our team a whole new dimension when he’s attacking the rim, playing above the rim and he showed everything tonight.” Thompson said after the game. “Like I said before, the sky is the limit for Jonathan and I’m so excited for his future. Sometimes he does things that make you forget he’s only 21 years old, looks like a seasoned vet.”
Curry also made sure to point out the impact Kuminga has when he’s on the floor, specifically on the defensive side.
Steph reacts to JK's historic night and speaks on his growth this season 📈 pic.twitter.com/6ewxfGLrxQ
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 25, 2024
“On the defensive end, utilizing that athleticism to help our frontcourt, our backcourt like everything. He’s taken on the challenge, and you can tell he’s gotten so much better.” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area's Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubukie after the game.
Kuminga has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, but his performance against the Hawks was his most complete game yet. Despite reported concerns over playing time earlier this season, Kuminga has been steadily working his way into Golden State’s main rotation as an offensive threat, with his two highest-scoring outings coming in the past few games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta.
As the Warriors look to rebound physically, mentally and spiritually after the tragic loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojević, Kuminga’s dual-threat abilities on both ends of the floor will be critical for Golden State to keep logging wins and closing the gap on the rest of the Western Conference playoff contenders.
