Snyder praises Kuminga's debut maturity. He connected with teammates, facilitated, and truly let the game come to him, exceeding scoring expectations.
While Jonathan Kuminga’s 27-point debut drew immediate attention, Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder focused on something more nuanced following Tuesday night’s 119-98 victory over the Washington Wizards at State Farm Arena.
For Snyder, the headline was not the scoring total. It was the composure.
“He connected with his teammates and let the game come to him,” Snyder said. “The things we talked about as a team, clearly it was a focal point for us. Playing with the pass, as you heard me say it, since October, and he really demonstrated that right away, to the point where I told him, ‘It’s okay to shoot.’ But he let himself get into the game and got connected with his teammates, and just let the game come to him, which I think that shows a lot of maturity on his part, and shows a lot of kind of how he feels about the group.”
Kuminga entered the game midway through the first quarter and immediately influenced play without forcing offense. During his opening stretch, he recorded four assists while facilitating ball movement and attacking closeouts. He added a fast-break dunk and a three-pointer as Atlanta established early control.
By the end of the night, Kuminga had accumulated 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in nearly 24 1/2 minutes of action. The performance marked his first appearance with the Hawks after missing six games — spanning the All-Star break — while recovering from a left knee bone bruise sustained late in his tenure with the Golden State Warriors.
Snyder has repeatedly emphasized “playing with the pass” as a foundational identity for the Hawks’ offense. In that context, Kuminga’s willingness to prioritize reads and ball movement in his debut carried significance beyond the box score. Snyder noted that he even encouraged the forward to be more aggressive offensively once he had established rhythm within the flow of the game.
The opportunity expanded earlier than expected when All-Star forward Jalen Johnson exited in the first quarter with a left hip flexor injury and did not return. Kuminga absorbed additional minutes seamlessly, maintaining pace in transition and contributing defensively while remaining within structure.
The Hawks acquired Kuminga at the trade deadline, signaling confidence in his long-term fit within Snyder’s system. Tuesday’s outing provided an early glimpse of how his athleticism, versatility and decision-making can complement Atlanta’s style of play when aligned with team principles.
The Hawks will host the Wizards again Thursday night at State Farm Arena as they continue navigating the final stretch of the regular season.