Prior to the first preseason game, Lonzo Ball was brutally honest when he said Kyle Kuzma was not ‘that good' in college. However, Kuzma is already perhaps the steal of the 2017 NBA Draft following strong performances at the Las Vegas Summer League and preseason debut to begin his Los Angeles Lakers career.

After Kuzma led the Lakers with 19 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Honda Center, he responded to Ball's recent comments following practice according to Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints:

As the 27th overall pick, some are beginning to wonder how Kuzma fell that late in the draft. With the Utah product showcasing his shooting abilities and competitiveness, head coach Luke Walton has a good problem on his hands if Kuzma continues these type of performances heading into the 2017-18 NBA season.

While Brook Lopez, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are all expected to play significant minutes, Kuzma's ability to stretch the floor could help him find some minutes at power forward or as Brandon Ingram's backup at small forward. Although Kuzma still has a lot to prove, the Lakers have found another gem in the late first and/or early second rounds for the fourth consecutive season.