Kuminga honestly reflects on ‘role model’ Klay leaving Warriors originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga entered the NBA as a teenage rookie from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
But he wasn’t diving into something scary with any organization. He joined a Warriors team with seasoned veterans and champions.
Among that group was Klay Thompson, whose historic tenure in Golden State came to an end this summer. Thompson left the Bay as a five-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA champion and, for Kuminga, one of his biggest inspirations.
“I was a little shocked. Klay is someone who took me under his wing when I first got drafted,” Kuminga told ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth during the Warriors’ NBA Summer League matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. in Las Vegas. “He was one of my role models when I was there. He always told me how the league worked and stuff like that. And obviously, we all know that in the league, the next day you can wake up and be somewhere otherwise. things just happen faster.
“I’m happy for him at the end of the day. Every decision he makes, he makes for his own good and for his future. I still talk to him, ask him questions about how things work and stuff like that. But it is what it is.” .”
Thompson agreed to join the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks through a six-team sign-and-trade agreement.
Kuminga was able to dive into three precious years of Thompson’s knowledge before Splash Bro headed to Dallas, and how the 21-year-old could soon start negotiating your own contract extensionhe’ll probably give his former teammate and role model a ring.
