How Steph’s Olympics showing ‘inspired’ Kuminga entering vital season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The upcoming 2024-25 NBA season is a big one for Jonathan Kuminga. It’s his fourth year with the Warriors, who soon will have to make a decision on extending their 2021 first-round draft pick.
With training camp less than two weeks away, Kuminga highlighted how Steph Curry’s incredible showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics inspired him as he enters a pivotal campaign.
“If you see one of the oldest guys in the NBA — on your team — still producing at that level, you might as well be inspired,” Kuminga told Tim Kawakami of Audacy’s “The TK Show.” “You got to be inspired, and you got to follow his footsteps, and you got to watch him. And I was just inspired to be great. It inspired the whole team to help him, and I think that’s the goal this year for sure.”
Golden State clearly wants to make the most of the 36-year-old’s remaining years as an elite NBA player, particularly Kuminga.
“I always appreciate just watching him, sharing time on the court with him, and just being around,” Kuminga explained. “Seeing him doing the things he does at his age, it’s incredible.”
Perhaps that added inspiration will benefit Kuminga as he seeks to continue his NBA development; after all, he’s meant to be one of the Warriors’ cornerstone players as the team transitions into its next era after Curry.
Kuminga told Kawakami that he feels like a “complete player” as he seeks to settle into a small forward role for the Warriors. In particular, the versatile 21-year-old detailed his increased confidence as a 3-point shooter.
“I just can’t wait to go out there and just show people what I’ve been working on,” Kuminga said. “It’s always been my thing to just work on certain things and get better. And I feel like shooting threes, I got so much better at shooting.“
The Warriors’ training camp begins Oct. 1 in Hawaii, when Kuminga will finally have the chance to display his offseason improvements.
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