A 5 star recruit that skipped college to join the revolutionary G-League Ignite roster, Jonathan Kuminga was the most raw prospect in the G-League bubble. In 13 games, Kuminga averaged 15.8 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, and 2.6 TOPG on shooting splits of 39/25/63. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Jonathan Kuminga
Height/Weight: 6’7/ 215
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: Small Forward
Pre-draft team: G-League Ignite
Tools: Frame, defense, jumbo-creation
Pros:
- Strong recovery ability defensively
- Projectable jump shot form
- Quick handle
- Power athlete
- Good rebounder
- Excellent at finding cutters
- Good post skill
- Playmaking upside
- Maximizes big men with his passing
- Patient in P&R
Cons:
- Needs to be a better shooter and improve consistency
- Needs to get better finishing with his left hand
- Gets lost in screens both on-ball and off-ball
- Plays a bit out of control at times
- Must fill out his frame and add lower body strength
- Has to learn to control turnovers and be less predictable as a passer
Overall:
Jonathan Kuminga is a unique forward with high playmaking, defensive, and scoring potential. Kuminga is probably the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the top 10 of the draft, but the intrigue around what his profile looks like when he hits may be hard to pass up. As a generally skilled player, the biggest note for Kuminga is that he needs to become more polished in most areas, and turn his raw skills into functional skills that will elevate his teammates’ play. In the playmaking area, he already made his big men better in the G-League bubble. In the first video below regarding Kuminga’s passing, his ability to make his big men better is easily apparent. Kuminga has a knack for finding cutters with advanced reads, which usually benefits his big men. He can also find shooters, but his reads, for the most part, were slightly above basic finds. I still consider passing a general strength of his, but he will need to reduce his turnovers and become less predictable to maximize his high playmaking upside. As a defender, Kuminga’s frame, athleticism, and ability to recover on defense make him hard to beat 1-on-1. While his team defense is difficult to read, and will likely naturally be a mediocre team defender early on in his career, his individual defensive skill gives promise to his overall defensive upside as a strong defender. When he adds strength, particularly in his lower body, he will be better able to guard bigger forwards in the post- an area where he struggled in limited sample size in the G-League.
As a scorer, Kuminga uses his athleticism and quick handle to get to his spots rather easily. He still needs to be more polished as a left-handed ball-handler, but he is comfortable enough to buy into his left hand developing in the NBA. His scoring will improve when he can comfortably finish with both hands against contact in the NBA, which shouldn’t be a hard obstacle. to overcome. The most polarizing part of Kuminga’s game comes down to his shooting. His shooting splits are not promising, but given his overall rawness and the fact that his form isn’t broken, I am willing to buy into his shot developing and betting on him being a late-bloomer as a shooter instead of his shot being outright below-average. Generally, depending on how you view his jump shot, that will carry over to how high he is on your board. The story with Kuminga is centered around the question of: will he turn his raw tools into functional NBA weapons and skills? A team picking at the top of the draft needs to be extremely confident to bet on him making the jump, and if he does in fact make that jump, he could yield top 2 value.
Fit with Magic:
Kuminga is an intriguing fit with Orlando, favored to land at #5. While he lacks a shot currently, there’s optimism around the league around his shot, which is something this scouting report suggests. Kuminga is a long term player who would play for a team with a long term timeline in Orlando. Orlando could boost their negative reputation regarding player development if they turn Kuminga into the star he has the potential to be. His immediate fit on the roster works well as a creator on the wing, defensive stopper, and someone who can put pressure on the rim.
Similar to: Jimmy Butler, Antoine Walker, Evan Turner
Projected draft range: 4-7
Expected role: Playmaking forward that constantly creates mismatches and can become a positive defender.
Unplayable if: Jump shooting turns out to be a wreck, and he never elevates his game from raw to functional skill. On the defensive end, if Kuminga can’t learn to defend the pick & roll, he will be easily targeted in high-pressure situations.
Exceeds expectations if: Jump shooting evolves and eventually translates and he fills out his frame to become a power creator and strong defender. Additionally, in this scenario, Kuminga reduces turnovers and becomes a more calculated risk-taker.
