They set themselves up to be an NBA and Lakers icon that’s what!
Kuzma was selected with the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Nets. But by fate in a draft-day trade, he was dealt along with main man at the time Brook Lopez to the Lakers in exchange for D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov (remember that guy?) before the draft. Kuzma at the time was projected to go in the second round or undrafted (thank the Lakers Gods he wasn’t). On July 3, 2017, he signed his rookie contract with the LA Lakers.
During the seven out of eight games he played for the Lakers (starting in only six of the games) in the NBA Summer League, Kuzma led by example. Leading the way with points scored he became a force all the way through the tournament. He then gained his first glory as a rookie and was named to the All-Summer League Second Team. However proving he was the real deal didn’t stop there as he was named the Summer League Championship Game MVP after recording a double-double of 30 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Portland in the championship match.
Ready to make his NBA appearance he trained hard with the drive to be the best player he knew he could be and on November 3rd 2017 in his first game as a starter he shot the lights out to gain his first ever double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds in a win over wait for it...the Brooklyn Nets. The team that traded his pick and I'm not the only Laker fan that is glad they did.
October 22, 2018 was a day I will always remember. On that day Kuz scored a season-high 37 points against the Spurs. He then went on to top that when he scored a career-high 41 points against the Pistons which lead to a win.
So it was no surprise when he was selected again for the Rising Stars game. This time he had a point to prove and he did just that and earned the crown after scoring a game-high 35 points.
With the Davis scandal during the backend of the season that shook the locker room like a hurricane, a lot of players hung their heads and who wouldn’t after being thrown on the block like useless pieces of a puzzle. Still Kuz didn’t let it get to him and he continued to play the game he loved. Players like this don’t come around often in the modern business that is the NBA. I know I would love for him to earn a jersey being raised in the Staples Centre and with big Rob from the front office reassuring him that he is this team’s future and he wouldn’t be traded unless it was for one of the top three players in the NBA (is one of them Anthony Davis? (Tim)) the odds and the future looks bright for this soon to be Laker legend. DAN STOCKER.
No comments:
Post a Comment