Kyle Kuzma came into his showdown against his former team a better player than when he left. While the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately ran away with the win thanks to LeBron James turning up his individual 2K sliders, that didn't take away from what it all meant for the emerging Washington Wizards star.
Kuzma was vocal on what the return trip to Los Angeles meant to him. He spent his first four seasons in purple and gold, flashing promise during his early years and facing adversity and the weight of expectations for the latter ones after the arrival of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But with all the ups and downs, Kuz just sounds happy to be there.
“I established myself [in L.A.] and it's really, really cool,” said Kuzma after the Wizards' 122-109 loss. I'm just a kid from Flint, Michigan at the end of the day. I always think about that, being from a small town coming to L.A. and just making some noise. That's the American dream, honestly, for me.”
LA ❤️✌🏽☮️
— kuz (@kylekuzma) March 12, 2022
The Lakers even organized a tribute video for Kyle Kuzma that showed off some of his best moments, alongside former veteran turned D.C. companion in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Lakers Family Forever
Thank you, @kylekuzma and @CaldwellPope 🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/Oz8ywXW84l
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 12, 2022
“It means I've got a legacy here at the end of the day,” Kuzma continued. “This is the team that drafted me. I spent four years here. Laker Nation and being a Laker is forever in my heart. We won a championship here. We did a lot of great things,” he said.
Oftentimes, NBA stars pile on the accolades but go throughout their entire careers chasing for their ring. After being a big part of the Lakers' championship run, Kyle Kuzma had that burden taken off of him early. Now with an increased role on a middling team, the five-year veteran is showcasing his talents away from the spotlight that LA used to offer.
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