What Iguodala told JK after tough first week of the season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Andre Iguodala‘s words carry ample weight, as Jonathan Kuminga can attest to.
As one of Kuminga’s mentors, Iguodala spoke on how the 20-year-old forward is handling being a part of a squad looking to repeat as champions.
“I think the toughest thing for people to understand is a good amount of young players, when they’re drafted top-10, top-15, they’re going to teams that are rebuilding and they’re fine with losing,” Iguodala told reporters following Warriors practice Thursday. “And so they’re able to grow without the pressures of having to win or having to sacrifice for winning — they can just go play.”
The 38-year-old Iguodala noted that it’s not only Kuminga that has to play well: Moses Moody and James Wiseman are also held to a higher standard, thus making it more difficult for these young players to make mistakes without being heavily criticized.
That’s why Iguodala made it a point to recognize Kuminga’s demeanor throughout the entire process so far.
“The biggest thing with him is just making sure that he stays confident and in good spirits,” the veteran continued. “If he’s not in good spirits, understanding that it’s not a bad attitude; It’s actually a good thing.
“You would want a guy upset if he’s not playing.”
Initially thought to be a significant piece in the Warriors’ chances to repeat this season with the departures of Otto Porter Jr, and Gary Payton II, Kuminga’s minutes have been sporadic. In four games, Kuminga is averaging 3.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks in 10.8 minutes a game.
What’s more concerning, Kuminga is shooting 36.4 percent from the field and has missed all three of his 3-point attempts so far in a very small sample size.
Iguodala also made sure to explain how sometimes, young players erroneously get labeled as something — because of how pundits and fans perceive that player to be — and that Kuminga has done an admirable job staying level-headed and ready to contribute.
“So for him, I think he’s done a really good job of staying positive, staying hungry, and just being ready for his moment and everyone expects him to have huge nights every single night,” Iguodala said.
Lastly, the veteran forward made it a point that any offensive expectations regarding Kuminga should be tempered, on a team boasting Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins on offense.
“With our team, we have so much depth — it’s hard for anyone outside of Steph, or the guys that shoot a lot of balls, to consistently get comfortable,” Iguodala said.
“So he’ll get there, he’ll be fine.”
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With Iguodala, the Warriors’ coaching staff and owner Joe Lacob giving Kuminga their votes of confidence, fans have to be hopeful that the young forward will be able to turn things around in time.
If all goes well, Kuminga could be the vital piece to Golden State’s repeat that fans and the media expected him to be.