Kuminga trying to build ‘bigger legacy,’ follow Mutombo’s footsteps

Kuminga trying to build ‘bigger legacy,’ follow Mutombo’s footsteps originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SAN FRANCISCO – Days before Jonathan Kuminga’s rookie contract extension deadline came and went, the 22-year-old Warriors forward spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area on a special edition of “Dubs Talk.”

Kuminga maintained the notion he was putting all his trust in his agent, Aaron Turner, whether the two sides could come to a deal or if he would enter next offseason as a restricted free agent. Turner is President of the Verus Management Team, a small agency, which Kuminga feels more comfortable with as opposed to one of the bigger agencies where a player’s priorities can be put to the side. Though he’s only in his fourth NBA season, Kuminga has known Turner for five or six years now and considers him family.

Good game or bad while going through the ups and downs of an NBA season, Kuminga says Turner always has seen the bigger vision in Kuminga. The two hardly even talk about basketball. How Kuminga, in his words, saw his contract situation was a larger-scale view of how he’s looking at his entire basketball career and the years after.

It’s not about one big contract. It’s about the legacy of a kid representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the ways of Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo and the Warriors legends he has learned from.

“With me, I’m trying to build a bigger legacy,” Kuminga said. “I’m trying to follow [Dikembe] Mutombo’s footsteps. Being very global, being one of the kids from Africa who will do even so much more. And trying to keep with the same legacy as Mutombo, as certain guys who came from Africa.”

Quieting the noise can’t always be easy for professional athletes, especially one with untapped potential and star expectations as a former top draft pick who won a championship as a rookie. Kuminga made a Year 3 leap last season, averaging 16.1 points and showing longer…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/kuminga-trying-build-bigger-legacy-155137953.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-10-29 15:51:00

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