Joanthan Kuminga Makes Hawks History In His Debut With the Team

Kuminga had a strong night for the Hawks as Atlanta blew out the Wizards at home

Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) on the court against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks took down the Washington Wizards decisively tonight at home and it marked the first game of Jonathan Kuminga's with the Hawks. Kuminga was acquired at the trade deadline, but had not been able to pla because of a bone bruise in his left knee.

Not only was Kuminga able to make his debut tonight, but he made Hawks history in his debt.

Kuminga finished tonight with a season-high 27 points (9-12 FGM, 3-4 3FGM, 6-7 FTM), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. No Hawk had ever finished a debut with the team with 25+ points in fewer than 30 minutes. Kuminga played 24 minutes in tonight's win.

Jonathan Kuminga finished tonight with a season-high 27 points (9-12 FGM, 3-4 3FGM, 6-7 FTM), 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. No Hawk had ever finished a debut with the team with 25+ points in fewer than 30 minutes. Kuminga played 24 minutes in tonight's win.

— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) February 25, 2026

Yes, the Hawks were playing an opponent who had no interest in winning this game, but this was as good of a debut as the Hawks could have hoped for. He took good shots, worked well in transition, and got to the free throw line. There is still a question as to how he he is going to alongside Jalen Johnson (who left tonight's game with an injury), but this was great for the Hawks and for Kuminga.

Our own Rohan Raman shared his thoughts on Kuminga's debut tonight:

"Jonathan Kuminga made his Hawks debut tonight and he did a nice job of stepping up to account for Jalen Johnson's absence. Kuminga threw down a thunderous dunk to introduce himself to Hawks fans and he finished with an impressive team-high 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists to go with two steals. He ran the floor well and surprisingly, made three of his four attempts from deep. It's hard to expect him to put these numbers up every night, but his athleticism clearly made a difference tonight and he had a very solid debut that showed few signs of rust.

Assuming he recovers well from this game, Kuminga should play again in the Hawks' second game against the Wizards. He'll get a tougher test against the Blazers on Sunday where Atlanta will be able to see how he affects them against a more NBA-level roster."

Atlanta is going to be facing the Wizards again on Thursday and if Johnson is not able to play, it could mean that Kuminga gets his very first start for the Hawks. He will have a chance to follow up this performance with another strong one and then face a more formidable test on Sunday against the Blazers.