For Los Angeles Lakers rising star rookie forward Kyle Kuzma, he's been in a little bit of a slump and had a few games lately where he's shot well under 30 percent from the field. Kuzma, who fell into the Lakers lap as the No. 27 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, continues to be one of the more pleasant surprises the league has seen so far this season.

In a recent feature article written by Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com, Kuzma opened up about his rookie season, the high expectations he holds himself to, and what he feels it will have to take to be an NBA great.

Heading into Sunday night's contest against the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center, Kuzma was still the Lakers leading scorer at 17.2 points per game. That stat line also comes with his fluctuating role as a starter and reserve in Lakers head coach Luke Walton's lineup.

“I just want to be one of the greatest players to play,” Kuzma said. “That's my mind set. That's how I approach the game. I got here by working hard.”

Coach Walton, who is in just his second year as head coach of the legendary Lakers franchise, gushed over Kuzma's relentless work ethic.

“He literally shows up to play, no matter what it is,” Walton said. “If it's 3-on-3, a shooting contest, some pre-practice drill work … he's always competing.”

The Lakers, who finally snapped a disheartening nine-game losing streak on Sunday night, got a great team effort across the board from Kuzma (14 points on 6-of-12 shots from the field) and their other young guns in a 132-113 rout of the Hawks.