When the NBA draft tips off on July 29, Shareef Abdur-Rahim believes the teams that select Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga will be getting big-time talents given each of their skillsets and abilities on the court.
Of course, Green and Kuminga each played last season with the G League Ignite, a development team that was revamped with the help of Abdur-Rahim as the president of the league. The two players led the Ignite to the playoffs last season and each had strong individual performances.
Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 assists in 15 games last season in their first year. He produced his best game of the season in the playoffs: 30 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds in a loss to the Raptors 905.
Kuminga posted 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds 2.7 assists and one steal in 13 games with the Ignite. He produced four 20-point games and four double-doubles during the truncated season before he missed the final three contests with knee soreness.
“I think the sky is the limit for them,” Abdur-Rahim told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “Their intangibles, their intelligence, their work ethic. We saw in them this year their willingness to compete and take challenges. Both are tremendous young men. I think whatever organizations get them are getting top-flight people. I’m really high on them and what the future looks like for them.”
Green and Kuminga entered the season with the Ignite as two of the top high school prospects in the country. With the launch of the Ignite, Green and Kuminga, along with Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix, were viewed as potential trailblazers after signing with the program.
They shined in various moments throughout the season and enter the draft each widely considered to be top-five picks. Given their play, they showed teams why they are worthy of becoming high picks this year.
“I think both are big-time talents,” Abdur-Rahim said. “They’re as talented as any young players entering the draft. I think they fit the way the game is being played now at the NBA level. They can play multiple positions and definitely guard multiple positions. They can dribble, pass, and shoot. Both of them are big-time athletes.”
The objective of the Ignite is to provide an opportunity for high-profile prospects to develop and prepare for the next level. By all accounts, the first season proved to be a success as it helped give those prospects a chance to showcase their games.
Already this year, the Ignite have locked up commitments from five-star prospects Michael Foster Jr., Scoot Henderson, Jaden Hardy and Fenbo Zengo for next season so the program looks to be off to a strong start.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!