When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for the rights to select Kyle Kuzma on draft night in 2017, the team didn't know that it would be getting one of the biggest steals of the draft.
Kuzma was known as an athletic scorer who could stretch the floor and provide an offensive spark. He was not known for his defensive prowess. Now, Kyle Kuzma is out to prove that he can change the game on both ends of the floor.
Per Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints, Kuzma is confident in his defensive abilities and knows he can consistently play solid defense.
Kyle Kuzma on his defense: “I just want to be a complete player. All great players do it on both ends.” #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 3, 2018
Kyle Kuzma on defense: “I just know I can do it. I think the narrative is I don’t play defense. If you watch how the season progresses, I have been getting better & better every single gm, just making the effort.” #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 3, 2018
Kyle Kuzma knows that a large part of playing good defense is putting forth 100 percent effort on every play. All the best defensive players are known to be gritty, ball hounding pests on the perimeter or daunting big men who have shot blocking down to a tee. Kuzma, with his 6'9″ lengthy frame, has the ability and potential to be a bit of both.
Lakers head coach Luke Walton referenced this potential, lauding Kuzma's versatility on the court.
Walton on Kuzma: “Defensively, he was good again today. We were putting him on guys that play the PG, we’re putting him on guys that are centers, asking him to play switching coverage, asking him to play our scheme coverage & he’s made a lot of progress with all of that.”
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 3, 2018
Wing players that can play and defend multiple positions have become some of the most coveted players in the league. Kyle Kuzma could become the valuable “3 and D” wing that all teams have come to rely on now that pick and rolls are used constantly and the three-pointer is shot more than ever.
If Kuzma can develop his defensive game even further, he could be a major piece for a Lakers team that is looking to add and develop players to build around LeBron James and win a championship.
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