Jonathan Kuminga

Jonathan Malangu Kuminga (born 6 October 2002) is a Congolese professional basketball player for the NBA G League Ignite. Listed at 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and 210 pounds (95 kg), he plays the small forward position. A consensus five-star recruit and the top small forward in the 2020 class, he chose to forgo his college eligibility to join the Ignite. Kuminga finished his high school career at The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey.

Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga with Our Savior New American in 2018
No. 0 – NBA G League Ignite
PositionSmall forward
LeagueNBA G League
Personal information
Born (2002-10-06) 6 October 2002
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
NationalityCongolese
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–presentNBA G League Ignite

Early life

Kuminga began playing basketball in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the age of two.[1] In 2016, he moved to the United States to play high school basketball.[2]

High school career

As a freshman, Kuminga played basketball for Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia.[3] For his sophomore season, he transferred to Our Savior New American School in Centereach, New York and averaged 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game.[4] In January 2019, Kuminga was named most valuable player of the Slam Dunk to the Beach showcase after scoring 40 points, a single-game record at the event, in a loss to Gonzaga College High School.[5] He earned MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year honors.[4] After the season, Kuminga averaged 20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for the NY Rens at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, facing many players older than him. He scored 43 points, shooting 7-of-11 from three-point range, against the Texas Titans, a team featuring top recruits Cade Cunningham and Greg Brown.[6]

For his junior season, Kuminga transferred to The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey.[7] On 23 December 2019, he made his season debut, scoring 20 points in a win over Roselle Catholic High School, after having been ruled ineligible for 30 days by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association due to transfer rules.[8] On 3 January 2020, Kuminga suffered an ankle sprain that sidelined him for about one month.[9] As a junior, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.[10]

Recruiting

As a high school sophomore, Kuminga emerged as one of the best recruits in the 2021 class, with most recruiting services ranking him number one in his class by the time he was a junior.[11] On 15 July 2020, he reclassified to the 2020 class and announced that he would bypass college basketball to join the NBA G League Ignite over offers from Texas Tech, Auburn, Duke and Kentucky, among other college programs.[12] At the end of his high school career, he was a consensus five-star recruit and the best small forward in the 2020 class. He was considered the third-best player in his class by Rivals.com and the fourth-best by 247Sports.com and ESPN.[13][14][15]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Jonathan Kuminga
SF		 Kinshasa, DR Congo The Patrick School (NJ) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) — 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 3  247Sports: 4  ESPN: 4
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 15, 2020.

    Professional career

    NBA G League Ignite (2020–present)

    On 16 July 2020, Kuminga signed a one-year contract with the NBA G League and joined the NBA G League Ignite as a part of the league's new developmental program operating outside its traditional team structure.[16]

    Personal life

    Kuminga's older brother, Joel Ntambwe, played college basketball for UNLV before transferring to Texas Tech in 2019.[1][17] Two of his cousins play professional basketball: Emmanuel Mudiay in the NBA, and Omari Gudul in Europe, and 2 other of his cousins don’t play basketball Sylvain & Michee. [18] Kuminga's first language is French, and he is continuing to learn English.[1]

    References
    1. Zagoria, Adam (July 13, 2019). "Jonathan Kuminga makes case for No. 1 high school player in the nation, talks future plans". ZagsBlog. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
    2. Jordan, Jason (July 7, 2020). "SI All-American TV: Top 2021 F Jonathan Kuminga Speaks on Social Injustice In Democratic Republic of Congo". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    3. Burlison, Frank (October 28, 2018). "Two elite 2022 guards among Pangos East standouts". Burlison on Basketball. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
    4. Divens, Jordan (April 18, 2019). "2018-19 MaxPreps Boys Basketball Sophomore All-American Team". MaxPreps. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
    5. Riedel, Kenny (January 2, 2019). "Slam Dunk superlatives". Cape Gazette. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
    6. Roberts, Ben (June 25, 2019). "UK basketball scholarship offer led to (very) long-distance phone call for top recruit". Kentucky.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
    7. Jordan, Jason (August 26, 2017). "No. 1 Chosen 25 junior Jonathan Kuminga transfers to The Patrick School". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
    8. Zagoria, Adam (December 23, 2019). "Jonathan Kuminga scores 20 in Patrick School debut after judge grants stay". Zagsblog. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
    9. Corrigan, James (February 5, 2020). "Jonathan Kuminga returns from ankle injury, discusses Kobe's impact on his life". Zagsblog. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
    10. Greco, Richard; Kinney, Mike; Minnick, Kevin (March 25, 2020). "Boys Basketball: Second team All-State, 2019-2020". NJ.com. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
    11. Daniels, Evan (January 20, 2019). "Hoophall: Jonathan Kuminga progresses, as high majors pursue". 247Sports.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
    12. Borzello, Jeff (July 15, 2020). "Top-five prospect Jonathan Kuminga latest to bypass college for G League". ESPN. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    13. "Jonathan Kuminga, 2020 Small forward". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    14. "Jonathan Kuminga - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles". ESPN. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    15. "Jonathan Kuminga, The Patrick School, Small Forward". 247Sports.com. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    16. "Five-Star Recruit Jonathan Kuminga Signs With NBA G League". NBA G League. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
    17. Anderson, Mark (May 26, 2019). "Joel Ntambwe leaving UNLV for Texas Tech". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
    18. "Joel Ntambwe". UNLV Athletics. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
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