Draft Picks Kuminga and Moody Ready to Get to Work with the Warriors

The Warriors have added two new members to the 2021-22 roster following Thursday’s NBA Draft. Welcome to the squad Jonathan Kuminga (7th overall pick) and Moses Moody (14th)!

Get to know more about the latest additions to Dub Nation and what they could potentially bring to the hardwood.

Jonathan Kuminga

With the 7th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga from the G League Ignite.

The 18-year-old combo forward stands at 6-foot-6 and was ranked as the No. 1 high school prospect in the Class of 2021 before reclassifying in 2020 and joining the G League Ignite.

Kuminga’s NBA journey is one-of-a-kind, with the teenager moving from his hometown of the Democratic Republic of Congo at age 13 to pursue his NBA dreams. At tonight’s event, Kuminga was joined by his parents, who he reunited with for the very first time since he made his move to the states nearly six years ago.

“I knew I was capable of making it,” the forward shared. “I'm in a great situation…I feel like it's the right fit for me.”

Kuminga’s pro dreams began in Congo where he repurposed a laundry basket into a basketball hoop and watched NBA highlights of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James at a local internet cafe. In 2016, at just 13 years old, Kuminga moved to the United States to pursue high school basketball in the United States.

Kuminga attended three high schools in three states within a three-year span including stops at Huntington Prep (WV), Our Savior New American School (NY), and The Patrick School (NJ), becoming one of the top prospects in the high school class of 2021.

Though a five-star recruit out of high school, Kuminga opted to reclassify and join the G League Ignite program, located in Walnut Creek. With Ignite, the power forward averaged 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

According to his NBA.com Draft Profile, "Kuminga has terrific size for a wing, the physicality to play some power forward, and the explosiveness to offer mismatch potential at either spot long-term…Spending time shifting between the forward spots last season, Kuminga put points on the board in a variety of ways in a featured role.”

Kuminga is motivated and believes joining the Warriors will only improve his game, stating, “As long as I grow around Steph Curry, Klay, Draymond Green, I feel like my game is going to go from the bottom to the top in a couple months…Because they're going to always push me, they're always going to put me in the right situation, and I feel like no matter wherever we end up, we're ready to compete and win a championship.”

Moses Moody

With their second selection of the night, the Warriors opted for Moses Moody with the 14th overall pick in the draft.

The 19-year-old, 6-foot-5 guard from the University of Arkansas averaged a team-high 16.8 points along with 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Moody, an Arkansas native, was one of just three freshman in the country to average at least 15 points per game and five rebounds per game last season.

Moody’s impactful play not only helped lead Arkansas to the Elite Eight, but also earned the guard All-SEC First Team and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

The guard was touted as one of the top-40 prospects in the high school class of 2020 following his senior year at Montverde Academy (FL). During his senior year, Moody gave a moving speech titled "He Beat The Streets" about the plight of a young black men.

As stated on his NBA.com Draft Profile, “Moody has terrific dimensions for a wing and is a capable athlete…Possessing tremendous length for his size.”

The guard shared his excitement to join the Warriors, stating, “It's been a long process and that's not just to say the last couple months, it's been a life-long process. I've always sacrificed for this moment and for the moments to come because this is not the end, this is the beginning.”

“I'm extremely excited. I like to play obviously on winning teams and to win games and that team can really do it. I'm just glad to be a part of a winning program.”

There is much to look forward to in the Warriors’ 2021-22 NBA season, and the development of the Warriors’ two lottery picks is high on that list.