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Los Angeles Lakers: Channing Frye raves about Kyle Kuzma’s potential

By James Francuz

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 28: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers walks on the court during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 28: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers walks on the court during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Former Los Angeles Lakers center Channing Frye is definitely not the first person that is high on what Kyle Kuzma is capable of.

Although Channing Frye will not be wearing a Los Angeles Lakers this upcoming season, it appears like his stint in L.A. was not fruitless.

Certainly, from an on the court standpoint, Frye’s tenure in Los Angeles is nothing to brag about. In just nine appearances with the Lakers in 2017-2018, he averaged 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

Despite Frye’s paltry impact on the hardwood, the 35-year-old took the time to evaluate the Lakers later last month. Frye’s comments revealed that he is a believer when it comes to the potential of the team’s young core.

While this is true, there is one player among that core the seasoned veteran is most intrigued by. That player is none other than former Utah standout Kyle Kuzma.

Frye is not the only individual who sees great promise in Kuzma. Per Anthony Irwin of SB Nation, former NBA players like Kobe Bryant have also liked what Kuzma brings to the table.

The fact that guys such as Kobe see Kuzma’s potential is the ultimate seal of approval. Bryant is not the easiest dude to impress, so Kuz is definitely doing something right.

When the 23-year-old’s rookie numbers are examined, it is hard to argue against that. The young man’s averages of 16.1 points and 6.3 boards clearly exceeded expectations. Points wise, Kuzma tied Brandon Ingram for team honors.

How he earned those 16.1 points a night is worth noting. In his first year in the league, the Michigan native proved he is not a one-trick pony on offense. He could knock in it from anywhere on the court in a variety of ways.

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For example, one of the more impressive parts about Kuz’s game is that there is a sweeping hook shot in his arsenal. While the hook shot is hardly used anymore, Kuzma is among the even smaller minority who shoots the shot effectively.

Aspects like this show that Kuzma’s future in the NBA is looking mighty promising.

Frye shed light on the young stud in the “Road Trippin” podcast, which Irwin shared snippets from.

"“I’m not going to lie — and I think all of them are good — I have a special place in my heart for Kuz. I think his internal fire comes from a different place than everybody else. He was never the best. Maybe I associate with that more … I like him because he’s aggressive.He has everything you would need to be a superstar, but he’s also humble. He’ll like text and he’s like, ‘Yo, honest opinion, what do you think I need to work on? Like, what do I need to watch film on? Or like, ‘what do you think I didn’t do’? And I’d be honest, I’d be like, ‘You’ve gotta work every day, more, if you want to be more, you’ve gotta work more.’”"

The work ethic Frye alludes to speaks to why Bryant holds Kuzma in such high regard. The Black Mamba consistently personified that “gotta work more” attitude, hence why he dominated the league for so long.

Assuming the Lakers’ second-year forward continues to put in the time, he could very well be a staple in the NBA for a long time, too.

Given Kuzma’s penchant for extracting information from his peers, his ceiling is as high as he wants it to be.

Inching closer to that ceiling will be critical in his second campaign. Since the Lakers are aiming to end a five-year playoff dry spell, Kyle will be expected to shoulder greater responsibility. It is inevitable, especially when L.A. is the city he is representing.

He will need to be ready to take on that challenge with LeBron James in town. Many expect the Lakers to be in the playoff mix, but James cannot be the only guy carrying the load.

Next. Lakers 50 Greatest Players In Franchise History. dark

Thus, if Kuz continues to hit the gym, it will increase L.A.’s chances of reaching their full potential.

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