The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t had a very good season, but several experts believe the future is bright for them.
They have an interesting core of young players on their roster, headlined by Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. But there are others worth watching, such as Larry Nance Jr., Julius Randle, and even Jordan Clarkson. But one player that doesn’t get anywhere near the credit he deserves is Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma was chosen with the 27th pick in the NBA Draft this year and already looks like the biggest steal in this year’s class. He starred at Utah, but not everyone believed he could transition quickly to the Pros. As it turns out, Kuzma adapted quicker than everyone expected. And he has outplayed most of the first-year players this season, with the exception of Ben Simmons and maybe Donovan Mitchell.
The numbers do not lie, and they actually back-up Kuzma’s place as a standout rookie. For instance, Kuzma received the Western Conference Rookie of the Month Award for games played in October/November. He was the first ever NBA rookie to compile at least 330 points, 120 rebounds and 30 made three-pointers in his first 20 games, and also became the sixth non-lottery pick to win the Award in the first month of his career.
Through 28 games (12 starts) this season, Kuzma averages 17.4 points with 6.6 rebounds across 31.1 minutes per contest. He is coming off a huge performance against the Houston Rockets on December 20. Kuzma set a career-high 38 points with 70% shooting. That 122–116 win snapped Houston’s big 14 game-winning run.
Ultimately, Kuzma should be getting far more press than what he is getting at the moment. Cameras and lights seem to follow players like Ball and Ingram, but Kuzma needs to receive the credit he deserves. He has been one of the best rookies in the league and is a big reason why the Lakers have an extremely bright future.