As he heads into his second season, Los Angeles Lakers forward, Kyle Kuzma, believes that he is a much better player.
Coming into the 2018-19 season, the rookie class from 2017 for the Los Angeles Lakers will be entering their second seasons. One of the main reasons for the Lakers improving last year was the strong performances from their three first-round picks of 2017.
One of those rookies that had a great season for the Lakers was Kyle Kuzma. Many were left scratching their head when the Lakers selected Kuzma in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft, but he quickly proved that the Lakers made a wise decision.
On their way to a Las Vegas Summer League Title in 2017, Kuzma was one of the main reasons why they were able to win the championship. Along with Lonzo Ball, the combination of those two were nearly unstoppable.
While many were impressed with what Kuzma did in Las Vegas, few believed that he would have as great of a rookie season as he did. Recently, Kuzma spoke with Mike Trudell of Lakers.com about being an improved player from last season. Here’s what he had to say.
"“A lot. A lot better. Totally different. I’m stronger. I got more handle. I watch more film now to really understand things on the floor that I didn’t see last year.”"
Kuzma improving from his rookie season is a pretty scary thought, as he was one of the best rookies in the NBA. If not for Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell having historically great rookie seasons, Kuzma may have been the rookie of the years in most years.
In his rookie season, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. As a hybrid forward, those are extremely good rookie season numbers for Kuzma. Him believing that he is an even better player should have Lakers fans very excited for what’s to come.
As a player that can play both forward spots and stretch the floor, Kuzma is going to be a very valuable weapon for the Lakers this coming season. After a strong rookie season, it appears like the best is still ahead for Kuzma.