With training camp right around the corner, rookie Kyle Kuzma is still impressing his teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers.
On draft night, it was Lonzo Ball who really received a lot of the attention. As the second overall pick, Lonzo is expected to be a star for the Los Angeles Lakers.
So far, Ball has lived up to those expectations. In the Summer League, Ball was the best player in the tournament, as he totaled two triple-doubles and a 30-point game. While Ball was great for the Lakers in the Summer League, he wasn’t the only rookie that stood out.
With the 27th overall pick, the Lakers also selected forward Kyle Kuzma. Like Ball, Kuzma was great for the Lakers in the Summer League. Even though he nearly fell out of the first round, the Lakers had him ranked very high on their draft board.
In the Summer League, Kuzma proved the Lakers right, as he played great in the tournament. Kuzma showed off his offensive skill set, as he was able to score from anywhere on the court. When Ball was out for the Championship Game, it was Kuzma who picked up the extra work load and won the Finals MVP.
Recently, Lonzo Ball spoke about Kuzma to Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation.com. Here’s what Ball had to say about Kuzma on the podcast.
"“I think early on (Kyle Kuzma) did. I mean, I played against him in the Pac-12, but the way he is now, I didn’t know he was like that. He definitely impressed me a lot…He can really shoot. I didn’t know he could shoot like that. He’s way more athletic than I thought he was. Just his all around game, I didn’t know he was like that but he definitely is.”"
Seeing Kuzma continuing to impress is a very good thing for the Lakers. As of now, the Lakers have a lot of depth at the forward position. With Kuzma working hard, it will force other forwards on the team to work hard to keep their roles.
Next: Ranking the 50 greatest Lakers of all-time
With Kuzma’s ability to stretch the floor and play both forward positions, he offers Luke Walton a lot of flexibility. Having a weapon like Kuzma off the bench can make the second unit a very good one.
Training camp and the preseason will be very important for Kuzma, as he will have to continue to play well to earn minutes.