After months of talk about where things stood between Steve Kerr and Jonathan Kuminga, it looks like Kuminga has finally got Kerr on his side.
For a while now, there’s been plenty of discussion around the dynamic between Steve Kerr and Jonathan Kuminga. It’s been a running topic, especially given how their paths have crossed over the last year or so.
Even after Kuminga signed a new deal and took on the job Kerr offered him, there was still a sense among some that the two weren’t entirely on the same page. Questions lingered about whether they were truly aligned.
Kuminga didn’t get off to the best start with Kerr when he joined the team. There wasn’t any one incident to point to, but there seemed to be an underlying tension that hadn’t gone away in their early days together.
But as time went on, Kuminga began to catch Kerr’s eye with how he was playing and working in practice. He started showing signs that he could fit into what Golden State needed from him.
Kuminga earns respect from coach
Kerr praised Kuminga’s growth during a recent press conference: “I think just understanding his role, which you know this year for us is going to be coming off the bench behind Draymond [Green].”
Kerr also commented on where he sees room for further growth: “He needs to rebound better. That was something I talked about after our preseason game… He needs to keep working at it.”
The big question now is whether Kuminga can turn this positive stretch into something lasting. If he keeps building trust with Steve Kerr and stays committed, there’s potential for him to have a strong future in Golden State’s system.
Jonathan Kuminga set to keep starting spot, says Steve Kerr
Before the Golden State Warriors took on the LA Clippers, Steve Kerr spoke about Jonathan Kuminga’s place in the side and confirmed a big decision.
Kuminga had already earned more minutes early in the season and was rewarded with three straight starts. And now, it appears that role will become permanent.
“Yes. He’ll start tonight, and he will be our starter going forward. He’s been fantastic,” Kerr told reporters ahead of the game.
“Last night we put him on Ja [Morant]. Tonight we’ll put him on James Harden. I think he’s ready to take on that role defensively.”
Kerr went into more detail about what has stood out from Kuminga so far this season.
“What he is doing offensively – the decision-making, shot selection… we’ve seen him be much more purposeful, getting the ball to Jimmy [Butler], getting the ball to Steph [Curry], attacking the rim.
“He’s really putting a lot of pressure. The biggest thing is that combination of Jimmy, Draymond [Green], and JK wasn’t great last year, but because of all the improvements JK has made… It’s really clicking and we’re gonna stay with that.”
Jonathan Kuminga proving his worth for Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga came into the 2025-26 NBA season with something to prove, eager to show he has what it takes to become a star in this league.
Early on, he’s certainly making his case. Kuminga is averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while regularly taking on the toughest defensive assignments.
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Stephen Curry had put out a challenge for Kuminga and the other young players on the team to raise their level of play so that the veterans could feed off that energy.
And with Golden State opening the season at 3-1, it looks like that message has hit home with the younger group.
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