Kyle Kuzma has been one of the standout performers for the Los Angeles Lakers through two preseason games. After putting up 19 points and five rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the rookie had another strong showing against the Denver Nuggets with 23 points on 4-of-9 shooting on 3-pointers.
But even with those impressive performances, Kuzma tells Sports Out West’s Bob Garcia IV that he’s not really doing anything special aside from playing hard.
Kyle Kuzma: "I just really try to play hard. I don't really think of the outcomes. I just to play hard and my work ethic helps." #lakers
— Bob Garcia IV (@bgarciaivsports) October 3, 2017
These strong performances are quickly turning into a habit for Kyle Kuzma. Aside from Lonzo Ball, he was arguably the standout performer on the Lakers' Summer League team. He averaged nearly 22 points and 6.4 rebounds on 51 percent shooting in seven games in Las Vegas and won the Summer League Finals MVP award with a scintillating 30-point effort against the Portland Trail Blazers.
As someone who was not a prolific 3-point shooter in college, Kuzma's work ethic this offseason has certainly paid dividends in terms of his consistency in hitting 3-pointers, both in Summer League and preseason for the Lakers.
Kyle Kuzma's strong preseason is a promising sign for the Lakers, who may have unearthed the steal of the draft after taking his rights from the Brooklyn Nets who selected him 27th overall. If he can continue to play hard and produce similar results this preseason, he may force his way into the Lakers' starting lineup sooner rather than later.
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