Hawks’ Kuminga

To argue that Jonathan Kuminga turned a page with the Hawks the other night would be to understate the obvious. After months of frustration and uncertainty with the Warriors, the fifth-year forward finally looked like the player many once pegged as a future star. In 24-1/2 minutes off the bench, Kuminga poured in 27 points on nine-of-12 shooting, added seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals, and, just as importantly, competed with relish. No doubt, he was buoyed by his liberation.

There are, to be sure, easy narratives: new environment, new energy, immediate impact. That said, closer scrutiny reveals the potential of a deeper arc of redemption and rediscovery. With the Wizards in full tank mode and the Hawks parading a frontcourt-light lineup, Kuminga’s efforts did come against soft, often nonexistent defense. Still, the efficiency and flair of his finishes in transition, connections from deep, and passes in traffic were hardly illusions. He didn’t merely score; he led. He wanted a statement performance, and he gave it.

That Kuminga’s debut with the Hawks comes with so much subtext is unavoidable. With the Warriors, he was part of a championship run and had a front-row seat to the highest of ceilings. He also saw his role shrink, his minutes fluctuate, and his confidence sag. Critics wondered if he ever fit the culture of the immediate past dynasty. Supporters argued he was raw, miscast, and starved of the latitude he needed to make mistakes or grow. Whatever the true mix of reasons, wasted potential undeniably followed him out of the Bay Area.

With the Hawks, though, Kuminga was, if nothing else, firmly in control. There was joy in his play that transcended the box score: Head coach Quin Snyder’s rotation choice to trust him with meaningful minutes, especially after Jalen Johnson’s early exit with a hip injury, opened the door for his exuberant start. And he most definitely made the most of the opportunity given him; from the get-go, he showed his ability to be an integral part of winning basketball.

All the same, there remains the broader question: Can he keep producing impactful numbers? Certainly, a single superlative outing does not erase a half-season of ambiguity. The Hawks sit in a precarious spot in the Eastern Conference, and defenses will soon scout them with purpose. But the promise of a frontcourt scorer who rebounds, creates, defends, and, crucially, plays with pleasure can alter their trajectory. And, in this sense, Kuminga isn’t merely proving doubters wrong; he’s seizing the moment and letting future judgments fall where they may.

Pro hoops careers are never linear. They are complicated storylines that twist with trades, injuries, minutes, and periods of self-belief. For Kuminga, a change of uniform may yet shine the spotlight on his desired place in history. And if his inaugural is to be a gauge, he seems to be set for success.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.