Everyone knows the good about Kuminga, and for that reason, most everyone has him higher on their boards. So I will more explain the negatives to validate him slipping a little bit. I don''t see the heart or the basketball IQ. He looks like he plays because he''s a big body that can jump, not because he understands or loves the game. Maybe I am wrong, but that is what I saw in the G-League. I don''t see the shooting yet. I expect this to work itself out, I''m more confident with his shot than Scotties, but it def needs to be talked about. He wastes his tools on defense as well, which is so disappointing. Remember I still have him 6th because of the good, but there is a lot to be worked on; he is the project pick.

Comparison: Bouncier Pascal

Ceiling: Shawn Marion with a jump shot and a handle

Floor: Josh Jackson

Projected draft range: 2-5

Jonathan Kuminga is a prospect who might be a risk. He shot horribly during the G League Bubble, but he has potential to become a star shot creator. The 6-8 combo forward can also rebound. He needs to become more consistent, and the team that will draft him will have to just hope he reaches his ceiling. Still, the two-way ability of Kuminga is something to marvel at.

Height 6'8 Weight 220 lbs Wingspan 7'1

Offense

• Very good athlete. Explosive.

• Slower load on his shot, but a very balanced shooting base and a good raise in his shooting stroke.

• Just 16/65 (24.6%) on 3pt attempts and 30/48 (62.5%) on FTA in G-League. In the beginning phases of his shooting development. Still reason to be quite optimistic as he is only 18.

• Good first step and long strides that cover a lot of ground getting to the hoop.

• Downhill engine and has a spin to counter stops.

• Early on defenses need to account for him off of basket cuts. Won't be an easy task if he's aggressive here.

• Appears to be too adamant on his drive at times and can force up shots, in his development I'd like to see these tough takes turn into free throw attempts and assists.

• Protects the ball on his takes and it will be hard to get a hand on the ball, but needs to tighten his handle and keep the ball lower.

• Scoring should be found in a variety of ways including low post and mid range.

• In transition he will be a dual threat attacking with space and finding teammates with encouraging positive playmaking skills.

• His passing is very mature already and should only get better. Good vision and accuracy. Can make left handed passes in a variety of ways.

• Developing hesi dribbles, pull up and step back game, no reason to believe it can't come.

Defense

• Athleticism will contribute to high rising blocks and athletic steals.

• Should be a go get em rebounder with his frame and rise.

• Length and size to affect shots on the interior.

• Can get his hands into the passing lanes and disrupt the offensive flow.

• He should wreak havoc defensively and have the ability to guard multiple positions.

• Lateral movement wasn't quite as strong as I thought it'd be in G-League, but still correct positioning and footwork will help.

Swing Factors

• Perimeter shot - If there are heavy limitations here, all of the sudden he's much more limited in the type of player he can be.

• Footspeed - Laterally I think he will be fine, but if he can't couple improved defensive awareness and technique with above average foot speed his defensive value/versatility becomes severely limited.

Role

• A small ball big or larger wing who impacts the game in transition with grab'n'go boards, blocks and steals. He attacks the basket effectively and puts pressure on the defense to hold tight on the interior.

• LOW: A rotation small ball big severely limited by shooting range and ability to defend the perimeter, but someone who excels in transition, is a positive rebounder and strong athlete on the attack.

• HIGH: A do-it-all star wing who progresses all areas of his game into asset range, defends multiple positions, attacks defenses with an array of tactics, has playmaker skills, and is a headache for opposing defenses in transition.

TIER 5 Floor - rotation player Bullseye - Productive starter Ceiling - Borderline All star

OFFENSE Pass - Grade: 68 Notes: Kuminga is not a creator. He is pretty ineffective as a passer, and was only capable of making simple reads. He was able to find cutters and even rolling bigs, but this was where he maxed out. He struggled to keep the ball moving at times and was a ball stopper. He's very raw in this area, as is the case with a lot of other areas in his offensive game. When the easy read or decision is unavailable, Kuminga panics and often makes poor decisions with the ball.

Dribble - Grade: 84 Notes: The flashes and potential with Kuminga's handle are there. Kuminga gets low on his drives and his dribble is pretty fluid. Showed ability to create his own shot off the dribble with two dribble pull ups, spins, and even crossovers and hesitations. He is pretty good at using his handle to get to spots, but bad at using his handle to create anything for others. He also has little no ability to make counter moves when his original move is cut off. However, Kuminga's ability to handle a bit in the open court, flashes of changing speed, use of hesitations, and knack for creating space on simple yet effective moves show potential for his ball-handling to take a serious leap during his career.

3pt shooting - Grade: 71 Notes: 25% on 65 attempts. Shot them in high volume, but took some questionable attempts. He should only be shooting C&S right now, he shot it best from the corners. His shot mechanics are promising, and he's good at squaring up to the hoop and he's got a nice looking release. He needs to clean up his shot profile and continue to progress as a C&S 3 point shooter.

Mid-range shooting - Grade: 78 Notes: Kuminga loves to take two dribbles into a mid-range pull up. It's one of the few things he looks really comfortable doing. He hits them a decent rate, but he loves this shot a bit too much and settles for it quite often. It's not a bad shot, but it shouldn't be a go to shot for him (it is right now). He very well may be able to progress into a high level midrange shooter, in which case mid to high volume on these pull ups wouldn't be a bad thing. Will take this shot even if it is contested, and is inconsistent at it.

Finishing - Grade: 80 Notes: Strong and athletic finisher who can finish with either hand. Solid elevation on his finishes. Not great at absorbing and finishing through contact. Can be erratic on his drives, and force up a highly contested fling. Above average dunker. Best at getting to the rim when facing up from the post or free throw line. Struggled to get to the rim when driving from the perimeter, which is an issue. Overall a pretty good finisher when he can get there.

Off-ball playmaking - Grade: 74 Notes: Can get uninterested or lazy off-ball at times. Runs through cuts at 75% speed. Sets weak screens. Doesn't crash offensive glass often. Decent at rotating to open spot when spacing the floor. Good at running the floor in transition, and a good baseline cutter.

Offensive Summary: 78 Kuminga has a long way to go on offense, but there is potential for him to be a very good offensive player. He showed flashes of high level shot creation. He elevates on his jumpers and is pretty good at creating space. He has a pretty good handle for his size, and considering how raw of a prospect he is. His IQ is way behind the prospects ranked ahead of him. Kuminga has the potential to be an off the dribble three level scorer. He needs to clean up his shot profile and gain more comfort in different offensive situations. He's got a lot to work on. His game is a bit like Wiggins. Kuminga is going to be very inconsistent early on in his career, but he should be a solid offensive player in the NBA during his prime years. He is only 18 and is very raw, he's got a lot of time and potential to turn into a good offensive player.

Defense Engagement - Grade: 68 Notes: Engagement is Kuminga's biggest issue on defense. Lacks defensive intensity. He seems far to relaxed on defense, and is consistently late on rotations and closeouts.

Containment - Grade: 84 Notes: Kuminga is good at containing wings, but struggles vs quicker guards. He has good lateral quickness and core strength, but poor timing and because of this often does not beat his man to the spot. There is potential for him to be a very good POA defender if he can every lock in mentally and improve his IQ, motor, and timing. Bites on pump fakes and is easily baited into fouls.

Team Defense - Grade: 72 Notes: Loses intrest off-ball. Just does enough to not lose his man. Not active rotating and is not active in the passing lanes. Should be a force in the gap, but isn't. Often gets lost when involved in complex screening actions.

Rim Protection - Grade: 78 Notes: Kuminga can switch onto bigs and hold his own. He likes the chase-down block. He struggles to stay vertical but is so long and athletic that he can still contest well, but often fouls. Good at timing his jump, but has unorthodox technique.

Playmaking - Grade: 83 Notes: Kuminga's sheer athleticism and length allow him to be a solid defensive playmaker. He's not entirely unengaged, just aloof and inconsistent. Is very effective when applying heavy pressure, and can often force turnovers.

Versatility - Grade: 92 Notes: Kuminga is very versatile, his best defensive attribute. He struggles against quick guard and dominant bigs, but can hold his own against everyone in between. He will be very valuable in switch schemes.

Defensive Rebounding - Grade: 82 Notes: Good defensive rebounder, but given his abilities he should be much better than he is. Needs to be more aggressive on his crashes, and less opportunistic.

Defensive Summary: 82 Notes: The defense isn't where it should be with Kuminga, but his potential is so high that it's impossible to not be enticed with his defense. It's unclear whether Kuminga just lacks a motor and edge, or if its an IQ/reps/coaching issue. It may be both. Regardless, Kuminga will be a league average defender right away. He will have a lot of defensive lapses but also a lot of unique and eye opening plays. He's 6'8, long, strong, and athletic so the potential as an elite wing defender is unquestionable. Kuminga needs to land in a good environment for him. He's got all the tools to put it together, but there are real questions there.

Measurables: 98 18 6'8 220 7'0 wingspan

Functional Athleticism: 95 Very good vertical leap Great open court speed Good lateral quickness and core strength Great overall mobility

General Thoughts: Jonathan Kuminga's archetype is one that is very valuable in today's NBA, and is one that highlights a common theme for a lot of my favorite prospects that come after the top 4: a big wing with versatility on both ends of the floor. However, Kuminga is very raw and will take years to develop his raw skills. Kuminga's showing with the G-league ingnite team was pretty impressive considering how limited he is. Kuminga put 15 ppg/7 rpg/3 ast/1 stl/1 blk in 32 mpg. Kuminga shot just 25% from three on 5 attempts per game, and just 63% from the line, but I'd bet on Kuminga being able to get to at least league average in both of those categories. On the offensive end, I think Kuminga is one of those guys to many people will point to what he can't do rather than what he can. His ceiling offensively is somewhere in between Pascal Siakam and Harrison Barnes. Right now he plays like Minnesota Wiggins at lower volume. He's got the herky jerky movement and spin move of Siakam, and the catch and shoot (even if low %) and limited but effective off-the-dribble game of Wiggins. Kuminga takes long strides and maximizes his dribbles. Kuminga is a decent off ball player himself, he's a good cutter (when attentive), good a running the floor, and knows when to space most of the time. Although his percentages say otherwise, I think teams will respect Kuminga's ability to space the floor more than one would think. Kuminga shot is much better out of the corner and has a nice looking shot. His form is solid and he just needs to eliminate all his three point attempts that aren't catch and shoot and wide open or in rhythm. He's a little bit too trigger happy, which is better than being scared to shoot. I don't think Kuminga will ever be as good of a shooter as Barnes but I would bet on him being at the very least respected. Ultimately, Kuminga will be a productive offensive player but he will have to fall into his role. His decision making is very poor right now and he needs to find more ways to be effective without the ball. He's a ball stopper right now. Kuminga's ceiling on offense is a high-level third option, if he is ever asked to be the true second option on a team he'll put up numbers but will struggle doing it and it probably won't be for a competing team. I'd bet on him being a similar offensive player to OG Anunoby, with a little bit less three point accuracy and more off the dribble penetration and poor shot selection. Defensively, Kuminga is every team's dream prospect for a wing defender. Kuminga is 6'8 with a 7'0 wingspan and good lateral quickness. Kuminga has great body up core strength. He is able to contest jump shots when it originally looks like he's two steps out of position. Kuminga is an active rebounder too, who doesn't shy away physically. He may struggle early early on guarding the Lebron's and Kawhi's of the world, as while he has good core strength he does not have the best upper body strength. Kuminga isn't as good of an off-ball defender, but he should get better with time. He often gets lost when put in screens and struggles to recover when put out of position (which doesn't happen to often, but probably will once he's in the league). His defensive effort and attentiveness is an issue, he is often not locked and looks aloof. I expect Kuminga to come in and show a lot of promise and flashes right away but it will take a few years for him to become a consistent, winning player especially on the offensive end. If he does not embrace the defensive side of the ball, things could get shaky.

Strengths

• Athleticism

• Size

• Versatility

• Defensive potential

• Scoring at the rim

• Two way star ceiling

Weak Areas

• Shooting

• Inconsistent offence

• Sometimes disengaged on defence

• Playmaking

Player Comp: Jaylen Brown/Aaron Gordon/Jeff Green

Comparison: Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam

If your team added a toosly wing with much as raw potential as Jonathan Kuminga, it would raise your celinig higher and as you continue with your devolpmental rebuild.

Strengths: Defence, Youth, Athleticism

Weaknesses: Shooting, Commitment

Draft Range: 1-5

Kuminga is a very good basketball player. His defence may be the best in the class, as he can guard multiple positions and guard the other teams best player. He could take on the role of defensive leader for whoever drafts him and help make his team a lot better on that end of the floor. His offence isn’t the best, but his Defence for sure makes up for it. Some scouts have been comparing his defence to Kawhi Leonard’s defence. That’s pretty insane for a guy who is barely 18 years old. Kuminga will be somewhat of a project, but the reward is much much higher than the risk, as Kuminga could become an all nba level player, maybe even franchise player.

END OF TIER ONE

Has great potential but is more of just a slasher at this moment.

He could end up being in the same boat as a Kahwi or PG13 type player or may end up being a Stanley Johnson. Realistic expectation for his rookie yr is a Okoro type year.He’ll at best be very similar to Jaylen brown which isn’t bad

Peak stats- 26PPG 8RPG- 4APG

Kuminga is basically all potential based. He can be the next Kawhi Leonard or even Giannis Antetakoumpo or he can be out of the league in a few years. He has shown the flashes to hit tough shots, play great defense, pass, rebound, and maybe even hit the 3. However, he doesn't have the highest basketball IQ, is really inefficient, and has probably the highest bust potential out of anyone in the top 10 consensus.

Floor: Out in a few years

Ceiling: MVP

DRAFT RANGE: 2-6

Positives

-One of the most NBA-ready bodies in the lottery, very explosive athlete in space, had some very flashy dunks and blocks

-Uses his body on drives well, can finish with both hands, overpowers defenders, showed some flashes of getting to these spots with nice dribble moves, scoring out of the PnR could be his most reliable weapon early, solid first step

-Showed very intriguing potential in the post, advanced footwork for his age, bullies smaller defenders, can also face-up when he gets it in the right spot, intriguing turnaround jumper

-Great upside as future tough shot maker, contested fadeaways, jab-step pull-ups, threes and mid range shots over defenders, drew a lot of fouls, can be a potentially really dangerous ISO scorer

-Pretty good cutter, has potential as a roll-man

-Showed nice flashes of playmaking in transition off rebounds and in the halfcourt, still raw but passing out of drives and in the PnR definitely has nice upside, passed out of double teams in the post pretty well

-Defense is potential more than anything, at his best he can guard 2-4 and be physical with centers inside, strong frame, long wingspan and pretty laterally quick on his feet, had some huge helpside blocks, uses his athleticism well vertically

Negatives

-Forced too many shots at times, shot selection, decision making and overall basketball IQ has to improve, had a bunch of turnovers from forcing it and making the wrong read

-Tighter handle would be great, especially for someone who attacks from the perimeter as much as he does

-A bad shooter as of now, mechanics aren''t always consistent and the release needs to be re-worked, FT% also worrying, only somewhat of a threat off the catch right now, never lacked confidence which is a good sign

-Not locked in defensively a lot of the time, poor footwork and just not very focused or aware on that end, caught ball watching or heavy footed a bunch, struggled with screens, a bad defender right now

Likely range: 4-8