Kuminga makes debut for Hawks, scores 27 points to defeat Wizards

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Former Golden State Warriors player, Jonathan Kuminga, scored 27 points in his debut for the Atlanta Hawks, leading his team to a 119-98 victory over the Washington Wizards in the NBA 2025/2026 season, Wednesday.

Quoted from the NBA website, Kuminga had missed the first six games with the Hawks as he was recovering from a knee contusion he sustained towards the end of his time with the Warriors.

In his debut, the 23-year-old came off the bench midway through the first quarter and immediately made a significant impact.

He showcased his athleticism and playmaking ability with a fast-break dunk, a three-pointer, and contributions of four assists, two rebounds, and one steal in his early minutes on the court.

This performance signaled a positive outlook for the role he could play in the Hawks’ rotation.

The Hawks acquired Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield through a player trade, which sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors at the trade deadline.

Porzingis only appeared in 17 games during his one season with the Hawks, due to injury and health issues.

Kuminga was the seventh pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He had fallen out of the Warriors’ rotation and had expressed a desire to be traded as his playing time decreased.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr dismissed any internal issues, although Kuminga only appeared in seven of the Warriors’ last 38 games.

The player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo started the 2025-2026 NBA season as a starter, averaging 12.1 points per game (ppg), 5.9 rebounds per game (rpg), and 2.5 assists per game (apg).

A brilliant debut with the Atlanta Hawks signals the start of Kuminga’s career revival in the NBA.

Translator: Donny Aditra