The Warriors entered the NBA All-Star break having won eight of their last 10 games, and veteran forward Draymond Green believes one player in particular has been instrumental to Golden State's success.
Green joined TNT's All-Star Weekend broadcast Saturday night before the skills competition, where he shouted out Jonathan Kuminga while discussing Klay Thompson and the team's recent strides.
"I say there's two guys in the NBA who [don't] have anything left to prove, and that's Steph [Curry] and LeBron [James], -- in another category," Green told the "Inside the NBA" panel. "But Jonathan Kuminga has been the key to our success. Seeing how that young man has taken that next step, and he threw himself into the No. 2 option and our offense is starting to be hooked around him."
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Kuminga has come into his own during the 2023-24 NBA season, and despite some turbulence regarding his playing time and reportedly losing faith in Steve Kerr, the 21-year-old and the Warriors coach smoothed things over -- and Kuminga has been playing lights-out ever since.
Since Dec. 31, Kuminga is averaging 19.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and also has scored in double digits in 33 consecutive games. He has earned a role in Kerr's starting lineup, and the best certainly seems yet to come for the former No. 7 overall pick.
Kuminga credits part of his emergence to Green's return from an indefinite NBA suspension last month, as does the Warriors veteran. Green's presence has helped both Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins play to their potential in the New Year -- and if the Warriors want to make an NBA playoff push, the rising star will remain a key to their success moving forward.
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