標籤: Kumingas

ATLANTA – In 24 minutes of playing time, everyone was reminded of what Jonathan Kuminga can do when he gets the opportunity to play.

Athleticism. Driving on slopes. Selflessness.

Forget everything that happened in the last months after the Golden State Warriors made the trade. Kuminga always had the skills to make an impact in wins, but at some points he was not given much of a chance to do so. With the Hawks, he will be able to do that, and he showed it in his debut against the Washington Wizards.

His first shot came in transition, when he sidestepped his defender and drove into the lane for a layup. His next production was a dunk in transition. From there, he got into a rhythm and started knocking down three-pointers over defenders.

Jonathan Kuminga’s first bucket as Hawk! pic.twitter.com/xY2hhDBrJ2

– Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) 25 February 2026

Kuminga finished the game with 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists. No Hawk debuted with 25+ points in less than 30 minutes.

“I got confidence from my teammates,” Kuminga told reporters after the game. “They told me not to worry about anything. Just go out there and be you. Everything will be OK. I had a lot of people in my ear telling me to go, be you, play basketball. The first two minutes I was just thinking about it, but after that, everything was good.”

Head coach Quin Snyder always talks about the fundamental things the Hawks need to do to win games. Pass the ball, defend and run. Kuminga surpassed all those standards in his debut.

Snyder said, “Things we talked about as a team were obviously a focal point. Playing with the pass, that’s what you’ve heard me say since October, and he really demonstrated it right away to the point where I told him it was OK to shoot, too. But he allowed himself to come into the game, how he connected with his teammates and let the game come to him. I think it shows a lot of maturity on his part and how he feels about the group.” Let’s do it.

His teammates were looking forward to playing with him for the last few days and he did not disappoint them. All four of his assists came in the first quarter, and there were a few chances when he could have taken an open shot, but instead, he sent the extra pass.

“Another guy that’s going to put pressure on the rim, put him in the paint,” Nickell Alexander-Walker said. “His willingness to pass and fit within the system. To have fun with everybody. He was always locked in and vocal throughout the game, so it was good for him to come out and do that.”

The noise that was around Kuminga easily shut down every rumor and every negative report about him in a single night. If there were a statue for smiling, Kuminga would lead the night in that category.

“For people who really know me, all my teeth are out. I’m smiling, I’m laughing all the time,” Kuminga said. “Since I’ve been here, just being with the guys, I’ve developed a bond with them. Good people, good team. We all want to win. Winning comes with joy, so as long as we’re all out there enjoying ourselves, it’ll help us win games.”

This was just the beginning, but it was a good start for Kuminga. For people to really move forward, they just need a change of scenery to become the best version of themselves. It seems like this is exactly what Kuminga needed, and he could be with a team that can help him get to where he wants to go in his career.

Kuminga isn’t going to score 27 points in 24 minutes every game. He won’t have 12 shot attempts. He knows this, but his entire focus is on winning.

“It doesn’t matter if I go out there and hit two shots. As long as it’s impacting us to win, that’s what really matters,” Kuminga said.

On Tuesday night, Jonathan Kuminga made his highly anticipated debut for the Atlanta Hawks after the Golden State Warriors decided to trade him along with Buddy Hield in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. And as it (unfortunately) happened, the Hawks’ main man and starting power forward Jalen Johnson had to exit early with a hip injury – paving the way for Kuminga to defeat the Washington Wizards in his first game with his new team.

Kuminga, in just 24 minutes off the bench, scored 27 points on 9-12 shooting from the field, leading all players in scoring in the process. If Johnson were to miss time for the Hawks, Kuminga would be called upon to take on a larger scoring load, and based on early returns, he is capable of doing so for a team looking to establish itself as a playoff team.

As a result of Kuminga’s lackluster first game in a Hawks uniform, some Warriors fans expressed disappointment that head coach Steve Kerr could not make things work in Kuminga’s five seasons with the team, especially after Golden State lost a close game against the lifeless New Orleans Pelicans.

“I’ll never forget what Kerr did to Kuminga,” wrote X user @__pettyhardaway.

“As surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, some people are going to say, ‘Well, Kuminga didn’t do it for Golden State…’. Well, I say it, it’s hard to do anything off the bench,” @Rickygreeneyze said.

@klewis1123 added, “I see Kuminga had 27 days for ATL tonight…glad the GS decided he had no real use for that kind of athleticism, scoring or perimeter shooting.”

@RookieHigh reported, “Kuminga with 27 points on 12 shots in just 24 minutes… extremely talented but Kerr wanted to force him to be a corner screen setter.”

“The Warriors could have used Kuminga tonight but at least they have Porzingis… wait… Porzingis doesn’t play…” @NinerGangManny joked.

The Atlanta Hawks have a chance to get back fully healthy for the first time in a long time, as Jonathan Kuminga’s status has been upgraded ahead of their matchup against the Washington Wizards. Kuminga has been dealing with a hamstring injury since his time with the Golden State Warriors and then joining the Atlanta Hawks and has yet to make his debut with his new team.

With Kuminga now being listed as questionable against the Wizards, it’s a good sign that he’s close to returning to the court.

Last week, the Hawks noted that Kuminga was making good progress from his bone bruise and would be re-evaluated in a week, with an update on his condition.

Kuminga was seen hitting some shots during the Hawks’ practice, which was a good indication of where he can be when he gets on the floor.

Adding Kuminga to the Hawks’ rotation could help improve their wing rotation, and his skill set could open things up for the rest of the team as well. His ability to drive and get into the lane will be key for the Hawks, whether he’s making shots or finding opposing teammates on kick-outs.

The Hawks recently made a lineup change, inserting C.J. McCollum into the starting lineup and moving Zachary Risacher off the bench. Head coach Quin Snyder said after their win against the Brooklyn Nets that the Hawks are better statistically when McCollum is on the floor with Dyson Daniels, Nickell Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, which proves why they made the move.

With Risacher being a wing, it will be interesting to see how those minutes off the bench are allocated when Kuminga is healthy, and if he can be on the floor at the same time.