Jonathan Kuminga responds to Steve Kerr with his best game with the Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga played at a high level against the Indiana Pacers, being the key man alongside Stephen Curry in the Golden State Warriors' victory. Steve Kerr, who had criticized him the day before, had to backtrack and acknowledge the good performance of a player who has yet to make the leap to the elite.

"This is the JK we want," Kerr commented after the Warriors' tenth loss in the last 13 games. "He spent a lot of time in the paint, took care of the ball, made a couple of really good passes. He found Buddy [Hield] for a three-pointer in a beautiful play and truly attacked. This is a great example of how JK needs to play. I am very proud of him for coming out and playing that way... he is improving, and it's fun to see his development."

Stephen Curry also highlighted Kuminga's impact on the game. "I mean, he was probably the best player on the court in terms of attacking and being decisive," Curry stated. "Anytime you are decisive and aggressive, you can live with the mistakes. But playing in the flow of the offense, taking what the defense gives you... you saw him get into the paint, get a couple of extra possessions for us, sink his open threes, attack the rim, put pressure on the defense, do things only he can do on our team. We love the energetic and confident JK. He can change the game for us as he did today, and stringing together a couple of games like this could elevate our level of play and give us a chance to win any night."

Despite this performance, Kuminga has been dealing with an inconsistent role on the team. After starting in six games to maximize his potential, Kerr benched him in the last three games, prioritizing a defensive approach with Draymond Green and Kevon Looney in the starting lineup. This rotation has not been easy for Kuminga, who stated that he is mentally prepared to adapt to the coaching staff's decisions. "Sometimes I start, sometimes I don't start. It doesn't really affect me," Kuminga commented. "At this point in my career, I can't hang my head and not go out there and play hard or try to be effective. I just go out and do my job because I can't worry about things like that. The more you worry about those things, the more failures you have."

Kuminga also reflected on his mental strength and his ability to handle these situations. "I'm used to it. Where I come from, you always have to be mentally strong. Many people in my situation would give up, need a therapist, or go through many mental struggles. But those things don't affect me. As long as I come out every day, play, be with my teammates, and they keep encouraging me to be who I am, I'll be fine."

The forward, selected as the seventh pick in the 2021 draft, remains a key piece in the future plans of the Golden State. However, Kerr emphasized that there is still work to be done in his development, especially in decision-making and shot selection. "He's elite at the rim, he's elite at drawing fouls, so we want him to attack the rim," Kerr commented before the game. "There is a time and place for every shot. If it's the middle of the shot clock, it's not a great shot. If it's the end of the shot clock and we've tried to find a better option without success, he's one of the few players capable of creating an open shot for himself."

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