Editor’s Note: I am thrilled to introduce someone that many of you already know, eshold! Erik is one of our long-time commenters who will be dropping in from time-to-time to grace us with his thoughts.
You can find him on social media here @eshold as well!
As a lifelong Wolves fan, my previous perspective on Jonathan Kuminga was defined through a very narrow lens. He was, in essence, the 2021 draft pick that we had to attach to get rid of Andrew Wiggins and bring in D’Angelo Russell. At the time, I didn’t know much about Kuminga. I didn’t really care to know much. As a fan, I just wanted him to not turn into a star.
D’Lo was a debacle that ultimately led to Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but at the time, I just wanted to drown out the national
media narrative. “The Warriors fleeced the Wolves! Andrew Wiggins is an All-Star! Kuminga is the future!” Every time I watched Kuminga play, I built a narrative that he was an out-of-control athlete who just wanted to dunk and was not long for this league.
Five years later, Jonathan Kuminga is coming to the Wolves. As a fan, my instinct is to throw my unconditional support behind this guy. As such, I thought I would dig into Jonathan Kuminga’s story. As I did, it was not hard to find reasons to root for him.
Congolese Descent, Culture, and History
Jonathan Kuminga is Congolese. Having spent time in West Africa in the Peace Corps, I have a soft spot for African players in the NBA. My first connection to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was through the Rumba and Soukous music that was omnipresent in West Africa.
Rumba was a style from the ‘60s that combined African and Cuban sounds. Franco and Tabu Ley Rocherau were the icons of the genre.
Rumba evolved into soukous, with Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide evolving the sound into late 90’s dance classics. Just hearing these songs takes me back instantly.
Kuminga would probably be the first to point out that this is the music of his parents and grandparents. In a recent “getting to know you” rapid fire interview, he named “Gratitude” by Nigerian artist Asake as his favorite song.
While the DRC has a rich musical history, its political history is fascinating, complex, and full of tragedy. King Leopold II of Belgium exercised a brutal colonial rule while extracting resources from the country like it was his personal property. Independence and hope came with the rise of Patrice Lumumba, who was then assassinated with the help of the United States and Belgium. Mobutu Sese Seko replaced Lumumba in 1965 and led the country as a corrupt dictator for 32 years. Mobutu was ousted by Laurent-Désiré Kabila in the beginning of the Congo Wars.
Instead of bringing true change, Kabila brought more corrupt leadership until he was assassinated four years later, after which his son Joseph Kabila continued the tradition of corruption for 18 more years. In 2018, the DRC had its first peaceful transfer of power, but conflict remains, especially in the eastern provinces.
Kuminga was born in Goma a year before the end of the Congo Wars. Goma is a border city in the eastern province of North Kivu, sharing a border with Rwanda. After the Rwandan genocide, many Hutu “genocidaires” sought refuge in Goma. In 2012, the rebel group M23 briefly captured Goma before being pushed out by Congo with the help of the UN. M23 is a group of Congolese rebels who are largely funded by Rwanda. In January of 2025, M23 reestablished control of Goma and has held the city for the past year. As if to pile on, the recent ebola outbreak in the DRC has led to occasional border closings that cripple trade between Goma and Rwanda.
I present this incredibly simplified history of Congo and Goma through my own lens of research, reading books and articles, and watching movies. I am not an expert on the matter, but I think it does provide important context into helping us attempt to understand Jonathan Kuminga better as a person.
“I know we face obstacles that most other people in the world will never understand. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t worthy of opportunities and the chance to go after our dreams. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. I didn’t manage to make it this far despite being from Congo. I’m only where I am today because I’m from Congo.”
-Jonathan Kuminga (The Players’ Tribune)
Transitioning and Speaking Up
Jonathan grew up in Goma. In interviews, he tells stories of walking 45 minutes to the closest basketball courts to play ball. He waxes nostalgic about times when he was able to spend 30 minutes, or even an hour if he was lucky, in the local internet cafe watching Kobe Bryant highlights. Kuminga does not go into specifics on what he witnessed as a young boy in Goma. He does, however, speak generally about it, especially to frame issues of social justice.
In response to the tragic killing of George Floyd, he posted on his now deleted Twitter account in 2020:
As a kid who grew up in Africa, I experienced a lot of atrocities that the media never show & never will. But as a young man now I am determined to stand up against any type of prejudice, discrimination & racism that we still experience everywhere in the world #BLACKLIVESMATTER
At age 13, Jonathan Kuminga left his parents and his home to go to the United States and play high school basketball. It would be five years before he would see his parents again. His brother, Joel Ntambwe, had preceded him to go to UNLV, then transferred to Texas Tech. He was also the cousin of 2015 first-round pick Emmanuel Mudiay.
Kuminga ended up playing high school basketball in West Virginia, Long Island, and ultimately for The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey. He worked hard and made a name for himself. He was considered by some to be the number one prospect in his class. Jonathan considered offers from Duke, Texas Tech, Auburn, and Kentucky. He has said that part of his focus on these schools was influenced by the way that these particular coaches responded vocally to condemn the killing of George Floyd.
Ultimately, JK chose the NBA G League, where he joined Jalen Green and Daishen Nix on the now defunct G League Ignite.
Entering the NBA
“With the 7th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft…” Kuminga was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2021. He seemed to be the choice of owner Joe Lacob, but not necessarily of Head Coach Steve Kerr. He went on to become the second youngest player in the NBA to win a ring (after our “Manna from Heaven” Darko Miličić.)
However, his opportunities and production were both uneven.
Did Kerr not set him up for success? Was JK focused on the wrong things? Things apparently reached a pettiness climax when Kuminga was informed that someone among his family or associates was taking too much food from the Warriors family room. All of this was white noise for me, as I just continued with my hope that JK would not be a star for the Warriors.
Now JK is a Timberwolf.
Am I being delusional to think that this time he will figure it out? Maybe, but I hope not. The table is set for a redemption story. A fresh start with a new organization that values him. A return to the franchise that traded away his draft pick. A move to the site of the murder of George Floyd that resonated with the sense of social justice that JK developed in Goma. His story makes him easy to root for. He speaks out for social justice in Africa and worldwide. He is an ambassador for the nonprofit Geno-Costand an advocate for African youth. I will leave you with this quote from his 2020 essay in The Players’ Tribune:
“The reason why I’m writing this is to let you know that whatever dream you have — whether it’s in basketball, medicine, engineering … or whatever you feel a passion for — it isn’t as far away as you think. Yes, the challenges you face are greater than anyone else understands — but I get it. I see you. I’m one of you, and I’ll never ever forget where I’m from.”
-Jonathan Kuminga (The Players’ Tribune)
I am rooting for JK, not just as a fan, but also as a human.
Sources
To the Kids Back Home in Congo | By Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga has seen a lot, is a very mature 18-year-old-rookie
THE JOURNEY: Jonathan Kuminga Is Living Out His Hoop Dreams 🙏
NBA draft prospect Jonathan Kuminga: ‘We’re tryin to make Africa great’ – Andscape
To learn more about the history of the DRC
The Lumumba Plot (2024 Book)
https://www.stuartareid.com/the-lumumba-plot
Lumumba (2000 film)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (2024 documentary film)
Pieces d’Identites (1999 film, won award at FESPACO African Film Festival)
To learn more about Congolese Music
To learn more about M23 in Goma:
Fear and survival: Reflections on a year under M23 rule in Goma
How Rwanda-backed M23 rebels finance their war in DR Congo
