Jonathan Kuminga Bio
Jonathan Malangu Kuminga is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuminga moved to the United States as a teenager to pursue high school basketball and quickly rose to become one of the most decorated recruits in his class. After a single season with the NBA G League Ignite, he was selected seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2021 NBA draft and won an NBA championship with Golden State during his rookie year in 2022.
A versatile forward listed at 6 feet 7 inches and 225 pounds, Kuminga plays both the power forward and small forward positions. Following a contract extension with the Warriors in late 2025, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in February 2026, where he has continued to build on his reputation as a dynamic scorer and athletic finisher around the basket.
Early Life and Background
Jonathan Malangu Kuminga was born on October 6, 2002, in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He began playing basketball in his home country at age two, developing his early skills on local courts in a city and region where the sport was rapidly growing in popularity. His older brother, Joel Ntambwe, would later play college basketball in the United States, and two of his cousins also pursued professional careers in the sport.
In 2016, when Kuminga was in his early teens, he left the Democratic Republic of the Congo to attend high school in the United States. The move set him on a path through several prominent prep basketball programs, beginning with Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia. French is Kuminga’s first language, and he continued to develop his English throughout his teenage years in America.
Path to Basketball
As a freshman at Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia, Kuminga began attracting national attention. He transferred for his sophomore season to Our Savior New American School in Centereach, New York, where he averaged 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game. In January 2019, he was named most valuable player of the Slam Dunk to the Beach showcase after scoring 40 points in a loss to Gonzaga College High School, setting a single-game scoring record at the event, and he earned MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year honors.
For his junior year, Kuminga moved to The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey. After a brief period of ineligibility caused by New Jersey transfer rules, he debuted on December 23, 2019, with 20 points against Roselle Catholic. By the end of his high school career, he was a consensus five-star recruit and the top-rated small forward in his class. On July 15, 2020, he reclassified and announced he would bypass college basketball to join the NBA G League Ignite, choosing the developmental program over scholarship offers from Texas Tech, Auburn, Duke, and Kentucky.
Jonathan Kuminga Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Kuminga signed a one-year contract with the NBA G League Ignite on July 15, 2020, joining a developmental team designed to prepare top prospects for the professional ranks. On February 10, 2021, he made his debut with 19 points, four assists, and four rebounds in a 110–104 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Across his only season with the Ignite, he averaged 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, establishing himself as a leading candidate for the upcoming NBA draft.
Golden State Warriors Breakthrough (2021–2026)
The Golden State Warriors selected Kuminga with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and he signed his rookie contract on August 3, 2021. He made his NBA debut on October 30, 2021, against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he recorded his first career start on December 18, 2021, scoring 26 points against the Toronto Raptors. Kuminga capped his rookie season as an NBA champion when the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, becoming the second-youngest NBA champion in league history at 19 years and 253 days, behind only Darko Miličić.
As his role in Golden State expanded, Kuminga delivered several standout performances. On January 24, 2024, he scored 25 points on a perfect 11-for-11 from the field in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks, tying Chris Mullin’s franchise record for the most made shots in a game without a miss. He posted a career-high 34 points on December 27, 2024, against the Los Angeles Clippers, and matched that total the following night in a win over the Phoenix Suns.
The 2025 offseason brought change when, after a prolonged restricted free agency, Kuminga signed a two-year, $48.5 million extension with the Warriors on September 30, 2025. During a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers, he was ejected after a heated exchange with referee Rodney Mott and later fined $35,000 by the NBA. He made 20 appearances for Golden State during the 2025–26 NBA season, recording averages of 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Atlanta Hawks Era (2026–Present)
On February 5, 2026, Kuminga was traded to the Atlanta Hawks along with Buddy Hield in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis, marking a fresh chapter in his career. He debuted for the Hawks on February 24, scoring 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 24 minutes off the bench during a 119–98 win over the Washington Wizards. His performance made him the first player in Hawks franchise history to record 25 or more points in under 30 minutes during a debut.
Kuminga continued to produce key moments for Atlanta, including an accidental full-court shot on March 18 against the Dallas Mavericks in a 135–120 win. In the 2026 NBA playoffs, the Hawks faced the New York Knicks in the first round. After an eight-point playoff debut on April 18, Kuminga scored 21 points with four rebounds and a block on April 23 to give Atlanta a 2–1 series lead, though the Hawks ultimately fell in six games.
Driving Style and Strengths
Note: this section is typically applied to motorsport athletes. For Kuminga, his on-court strengths include explosive athleticism, the ability to attack the rim in transition, and a versatile skill set that allows him to play both forward positions effectively.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kuminga’s career milestones include his 2022 NBA championship as a rookie, his 11-for-11 shooting performance against the Atlanta Hawks in January 2024 that tied a franchise record, his career-high 34-point games in late December 2024, and his record-setting debut for the Atlanta Hawks in February 2026.
Jonathan Kuminga Career Wins
Kuminga’s career achievements include a verified NBA championship won with the Golden State Warriors during his rookie season in 2022. He has also posted individual scoring milestones and franchise-record performances at both the team and league levels.
NBA Highlights
Kuminga’s most significant NBA win came when he helped the Golden State Warriors defeat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals to claim his first NBA championship. He has also secured multiple high-scoring regular-season victories, including a 109–105 win over the Phoenix Suns on December 28, 2024, and a 119–98 win over the Washington Wizards in his Atlanta Hawks debut on February 24, 2026. In the 2026 playoffs, he was part of a Hawks victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 that briefly gave Atlanta a 2–1 series lead.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the NBA, Kuminga represented the DR Congo men’s national basketball team during the African 2023 World Cup qualifiers in August 2022, scoring a team-high 18 points against Cameroon. He also contributed to wins during the 2020–21 NBA G League Ignite season, where his development helped pave the way for his top-seven draft selection.
Jonathan Kuminga Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Kuminga’s older brother, Joel Ntambwe, played college basketball for UNLV before transferring to Texas Tech in 2019 and has been a fixture on the DR Congo men’s national basketball team alongside Jonathan. Two of Kuminga’s cousins also play professional basketball: Emmanuel Mudiay, who has played in Puerto Rico, and Omari Gudul, who plays in Europe. This deep family connection to the sport helped shape Kuminga’s early development.
Personal Life
Kuminga’s first language is French, and he has continued to learn English since moving to the United States in 2016. He maintains ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo through his national team appearances and family connections, and he remains focused on his professional basketball career in the NBA.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year was a defining one for Kuminga. After restricted free agency delayed Golden State’s offseason plans, he signed a two-year, $48.5 million extension with the Warriors on September 30, 2025, securing his immediate future with the franchise. He then made 20 appearances for the Warriors during the early portion of the 2025–26 NBA season, averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while continuing to refine his role in the rotation.
On January 4, 2025, Kuminga suffered a sprained ankle during a 121–113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies that kept him out of action for 31 consecutive games. He returned on March 13 in a 130–104 win over the Sacramento Kings, scoring 18 points in just 20 minutes, signaling a strong return to form. A preseason ejection and $35,000 fine against the Portland Trail Blazers also marked a notable disciplinary episode during the run-up to the new season.
Looking ahead, Kuminga’s trajectory carried him from Golden State’s rotation into a starting-caliber role with the Atlanta Hawks following the February 2026 trade. With his contract extension running through 2027 and a clear path to expanded minutes in Atlanta, his 2025 season laid the foundation for the next phase of his career.
