Los Angeles Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma has received a lot of praise so far this season from various people. Recently, Kobe Bryant was added to that list.
With the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers made what some thought was a questionable draft pick. Kyle Kuzma was not rated that highly by a ton of scouts and teams, but the Lakers decided that he was their guy late in the first round.
In the Las Vegas Summer League, Kuzma quickly stole the show with Lonzo Ball, as the two were able to help lead the Lakers to a Summer League championship. As a power forward, Kuzma quickly showed that he was going to be an excellent scorer for the Lakers.
Having power forwards that can stretch the floor has become almost a necessity now in the NBA. While Kuzma is a good 3-point shooter, he also has the ability to beat defenders off the dribble.
With his size and speed, Kuzma has had no problem scoring in the NBA as a rookie. Recently, Kobe Bryant praised Kuzma in an interview with Spectrum Sports. Here’s a little of what Bryant said about Kuzma with text via LakersNation.com.
"“A lot of GMs are kicking themselves over that one. He’s extremely articulate and very inquisitive. I think that’s always the best trait to have, is curiosity. Because you want to know why things work. You want to know why things happen and how things happen. When you have that kind of curiosity, you’re constantly seeking ways to improve mentally, physically. That’s the thing that jumped out at me the most.”"
Bryant is absolutely right when saying that general managers are kicking themselves for not taking Kuzma. As a rookie, Kuzma looks really polished on the offensive end of the court, which is something that you rarely see coming out of college. With an ability to score in pretty much every way possible, the sky is the limit for Kuzma on the offensive end.
The hot start to the season for Kuzma has already resulted in him winning the Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference. In addition to that, he is also an early candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.
Next: Team awards from first quarter of the season
The Lakers certainly struck gold getting Kuzma as late as they did in the draft. Finding a talent like Kuzma that is already a big part of the rotation was a huge find for the Lakers. Also, he can be a key piece in their rebuilding process.