Los Angeles Lakers: Larry Krystkowiak not surprised Kyle Kuzma is doing well

Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak spoke at the Pac-12 Media days, and we brought up Kyle Kuzma and Andrew Bogut of the Los Angeles Lakers.

At the Pac-12 Media Days a few weeks ago, we set out to find out what Kyle Kuzma’s former college head coach thought about his former player current rookie on the Los Angeles Lakers. The Utah Utes were picked to finish No. 7 in the Pac-12 according to the Pac-12 coaches poll. It just so happens that the number seven is Larry Krystkowiak’s lucky number, so he feels that means his team is going to the Final Four. This interview was going to be great.

The reporters were dying to talk to Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak about the FBI Probe into college basketball at Pac-12 media days. The FBI implicated two Pac-12 teams, the Arizona Wildcats and the USC Trojans.

Larry was not worried about his program and the FBI probe, he made sure reporters knew he had a clean program but was aware there was a dark side to recruiting. He told us that he has gotten into recruiting process and about six or seven times he had been asked, “Is there anything else?”

He uses that time to do some coaching to the parents, and future students so they know not to expect anything, “Just talking about Kyle Kuzma, there aren’t any shortcuts, you gotta trust the process and get through it and that’s a life lesson.”

This is the coach Kyle Kuzma learned from in college. Kuzma left the Utes after his third season and after earning his degree. He was a starter in all 29 games last season doubling his FG’s, rebounds, assists, and blocks.

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We told Kuzma’s college coach about how the nation seems to be surprised at how good he is and this is what coach Krystkowiak had to say:

"What a great story. I mean it’s been a heck of a journey for him — We talk about the process a lot and not having short cuts and putting in the work. He was with our program for four years, he got his degree in four years and you know he felt like he was ready to take off. And he had an amazing spring after his junior year that really we saw he even improved after his junior year until he went off to Chicago in that pre-draft camp.But he’s done everything the right way. You know he’s an extremely hard worker, grounded kid, really matured, his body changed, and I think you can see what playing with some confidence can do for ya. And you can certainly..I think it’s the perfect spot [The Lakers] when you go play with a guy like Lonzo [Ball], a point guard who’s going to make guys better. He’s created a lot of buzz there and you know we are just really proud of him and happy for him."

Kuzma’s former teammate David Collette wasn’t surprised at Kyle’s success in the NBA this far either: “No not at all, we saw it day in and day out how hard he worked,  and we knew what he was capable of, and I think he fits the NBA style of play really well.” David told us his coach is funny and they have a lot of fun in practice.

Here is the complete interview with Utah head coach Krystkowiak and his senior forward Collette.

Here is Kyle at Pac-12 Media day’s from last season, his last at Utah.

Next: More on Kyle Kuzma from the Lake Show Life..

See? It’s no mystery to Kuzma’s college coach that he is doing as well as he is doing, and coach Krystkowiak believes in the process and has taught him well. As Kuzma keeps on thrilling Lakers fans, at least now they know who helped him get to this point in his career.